ABSTRACT
The state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) made the transition from an autocratic towards a democratic system in 1947, after a long struggle which through secular in orientation did see polarization of society precisely due to the nature and composition of political structure in the state. After 1947 In the domain of electoral politics, communal factor though ever present remained subdued till the 2014 Parliamentary election, when the BJP succeeded in mobilising voters in Jammu and Leh on the ‘Hindutva’ card. This chapter traces the trajectory of this aspect of the J&K’s politics, focusing on Parliamentary elections in 2014, and subsequent State Assembly elections. It also analyses the mobilization strategy and performance of other major parties such as National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
