Former Jamaat-e-Islami Members Enter Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections as Independent Candidates

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024: In a significant development in Jammu and Kashmir, former members of Jamaat-e-Islami have started filing their nominations for the upcoming assembly elections in the Union Territory. Jamaat-e-Islami was banned by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2019 for five years, and the ban was extended for another five years in 2024.

Jamaat-e-Islami has opposed the electoral process in Jammu and Kashmir for the past three decades. However, it appears that following the ban, the Jamaat leaders have decided to contest the upcoming assembly elections as independent candidates in the Valley. Several former Jamaat leaders and members have already started filing their nominations. Three Jamaat leaders submitted their nominations for the first phase of the assembly elections, scheduled for September 18.

Talat Majeed, a former Jamaat member, stated, "I was working with the government, and since 2008, I became involved in politics and geopolitics. We need to view Kashmir through the lens of geopolitics, which is how I became interested in it. Jamaat-e-Islami has played a very important role, and considering the current situation, we, as Kashmiris, must think about the future and how to make it brighter. The past has not yielded anything, and we lost even what we had, so we need to work for our future. I was associated with Jamaat-e-Islami from 2002 to 2014."

In South Kashmir's Kulgam District, Nazir Ahmad Bhat, a former member of Jamaat-e-Islami, filed his nomination for the Devsar Assembly constituency.

Nazir Ahmad Bhat, also a former member of Jamaat-e-Islami, said, "There was a lot of injustice here. Last year, my two nephews were arrested, and despite seeking help from many leaders, no one assisted. At that time, I decided to serve the people. There was fear of rigging in the parliamentary elections, but it didn’t happen, which gave me the courage to contest. That was when I decided to fight, and I am determined to win. I was associated with Jamaat because I used to attend their functions."

However, Omar Abdullah took a dig at Jamaat-e-Islami, stating that until now, contesting elections was "haram" for the organization, but now it's "halal."

Omar Abdullah, Vice President of the National Conference, said, "Till now, contesting elections was 'haram' for the JeI, but now it's 'halal.' If they are willing to contest polls, it's a welcome step. We wanted them to contest on their own symbol, but that didn’t happen due to the ban."

This time, the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are becoming very interesting. Besides the traditional political parties, many new parties and hundreds of independent candidates are entering the election fray, offering voters a wide range of choices. A notable change is that parties and individuals who previously lacked faith in the electoral process are now experiencing a shift in their perspectives.