Those elected to form the new Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in elections just held have brought in a sea of fresh faces, with 51 Debut MLAs taking their seats in a 90-member legislature. It is a historic election, the first ever polls conducted for the legislature of Union Territory (UT) as it would call itself since reorganization in 2019, after the abrogation of Article 370. The spread of debutant legislators across different political parties in such numbers says much about the shift witnessed in the region’s political landscape.
The National Conference took 42 of the seats in the assemblage
The National Conference, led by Farooq Abdullah, emerges as the single largest party in the Assembly, winning 42 seats. NC’s success is worthy of mention because it houses the maximum number of first-time MLAs—24 out of its 42 elected members are first-time members of the Assembly. This reflects rejuvenation within the party as it brings in fresh blood to tackle emerging political and social challenges within the Union Territory.
The presence of such a large number of first-time MLAs in a party like NC, where it holds a great legacy in the region, speaks to its flexibility and orientation towards leadership change. For the party going forward, these will be some of the most crucial legislators that would articulate its strategy as well as legislative actions involving regional development, autonomy, and relations with the center.
BJP wins 29 seats, 15 first-time MLAs.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has surely made its mark in the Jammu and Kashmir region with 29 seats from the Jammu plains, largely where its constituency is strong. Of the 29, 15 are first-time MLAs who account for more than half of the party’s winning candidates. The BJP was therefore not short of skills in handling its Jammu success but was sorely disappointed that the party did not make an impact in the Kashmir Valley.
While boasting of many new faces within its ranks, it is also a reflection of the party’s thrust towards bringing in new leadership apparently in light of the political scenario in the region in post-article 370.
The new faces in the shape of MLAs would play a very crucial role in pushing the party agenda in this region, including developmental issues, security, and integration.
Debut MLAs: Congress Struggles with Six Seats, Two Debutants
The party faced deep challenges in the Jammu region in the elections, though performed well in the Kashmir Valley. It won six seats here, which was a much-needed respite. Of these, two MLAs are first-timers, constituting a much smaller scale of new leadership than that of NC and BJP.
Despite all odds, the Congress would continue to function as an important opposition party in the Assembly and its debutant legislators will bring refreshing views to debates and policy-making.
Debut MLAs: Independent and Other Parties
Six out of seven Independent candidates who won in this election are also first-time MLAs. These Independents could play a very important role in the Assembly, probably acting like swing votes on critical issues. Their presence once again shows how unique the political representation in Jammu and Kashmir is, where voters are looking for alternatives to other parties.
All three PDP elected members are first-time legislators. The PDP, which was once strong in the region, has lost power over the past few years. Still, its debuting MLAs hope it would revive the party in coming years. The lone MLA from AAP is also a first-timer and marks the party’s entry into the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.
Conclusion
The induction of 51 Debut MLAs in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is a significant turn of affairs in the history of the Union Territory. Thousands of fresh faces in the National Conference, BJP, and PDP indicate the politics of change in the region. First-time legislators are bringing fresh lines of ideas with them that would forge the future course of governance and development in Jammu and Kashmir. As these new, newly elected MLAs begin their first-in-history roles in discussing seriously important issues, it is poised that they would take on the much crucial and challenging responsibilities of setting forth the future direction for political, economic, and social gains of the region.
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