Where Is Kashmir’s Opposition?

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Two years after the Assembly elections restored an elected government to Jammu and Kashmir, the political opposition has struggled to establish a clear identity, articulate a public agenda or offer a credible alternative to the ruling National Conference.

The problem goes beyond political din and drama.

An opposition is not defined simply by the number of legislators sitting outside the treasury benches. Its real strength lies in its ability to question those in power, expose administrative failures, defend public interests and present alternative policies. 

By that measure, Kashmir’s opposition has some serious ground to cover.

The people of Jammu and Kashmir face a long list of unresolved concerns. Unemployment continues to trouble educated young people. Recruitment delays have tested the patience of job seekers. Government hospitals face persistent pressure, urban infrastructure struggles to keep pace with population growth, and concerns over electricity, drinking water and public services remain part of daily life. These issues provide ample ground for sustained political scrutiny.

But political debate has increasingly revolved around party rivalries, leadership disputes and individual political ambitions. 

The recent tensions within the National Conference, including Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi’s resignation from the party, have added another dimension to Kashmir’s political uncertainty. Such developments may hold political significance, but they cannot substitute for a coherent opposition agenda.

The People’s Democratic Party, which once presented itself as a principal alternative to the National Conference, has struggled to regain its former political influence. The Bharatiya Janata Party has its own political constituency and priorities, while smaller parties and independent legislators have yet to establish a sustained collective voice on major public issues.

The opposition’s responsibility is particularly important in Jammu and Kashmir, where the elected government operates within a political and constitutional arrangement that continues to generate questions about the distribution of power. 

Decisions taken by the administration and the Union government need close scrutiny. Silence or sporadic criticism weakens the democratic process and leaves citizens with fewer avenues to seek accountability.

Opposition parties must also recognise that criticism alone is insufficient. 

People need credible alternatives on employment, economic development, healthcare, education, tourism and environmental protection. They need political representatives who can explain how they would address these challenges, rather than simply condemn the government’s failures.

Kashmir’s political history gives several examples of how dissent and political competition have influenced public life. That tradition should encourage today’s opposition to rediscover its institutional responsibility.

The elected government must answer for its performance, while the opposition must answer for its own absence. 

Democracy cannot function effectively when one side is judged only by what it promises and the other escapes scrutiny because it has little to say.

Kashmir needs an opposition that works beyond election campaigns, speaks for people beyond party boundaries and treats public accountability as its principal responsibility. 

Without that, political competition risks becoming a contest between ambitions rather than ideas.

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