Amid political divide, Jammu & Kashmir Budget session set to be a battle ground

Srinagar: A day before the first budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory Legislative Assembly, both opposition and ruling parties held separate strategy meetings on Sunday, aiming to outmaneuver each other in the upcoming debates and discussions.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired a joint legislature party meeting of the National Conference (NC) and Congress in Jammu on Sunday, with the goal of presenting a “united front” to the opposition. The meeting took added significance amid growing speculation about tensions within the alliance, particularly between the NC and Congress.

A senior NC leader revealed that the meeting focused on formulating a strategy to counter the opposition parties—Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Conference (PC), and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP)—during the legislative session.

The opposition remains split between the BJP and the Kashmir-based parties (PDP, PC, and AIP), but all factions are preparing to challenge the ruling NC-led alliance on several fronts.

The 28-member BJP plans to hold the government accountable for unfulfilled promises in the NC’s election manifesto, particularly the commitments for free electricity and ration. The BJP intends to raise these issues in the House, alleging that the government has failed to deliver on its promises.

Meanwhile, the Kashmir-based opposition parties—PDP, PC, and AIP—are gearing up to question the government on the revocation of Article 370 and the alcohol ban, both of which are highly contentious in the Kashmir Valley.

Both PDP and PC have already moved resolutions and bills on these issues, setting the stage for a potentially stormy session. The BJP, however, has indicated its opposition to any attempts to raise Article 370 in the legislative assembly.

The BJP is expected to hold its own legislature party meeting in Jammu on March 2 to finalize its strategy.

The first budget session of the elected government since 2018 promises to be a high-voltage affair. This follows the turbulence of the last session in Srinagar, where the BJP staged protests against the NC’s move to introduce a resolution calling for the restoration of J&K’s special status.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will present his first budget for the Jammu & Kashmir UT on March 7, with the session scheduled to run until April 11.