#delhi won

[kabaddi-ifg]

PKL Season 1-10 Winners - Timed Typing Test.

[rightnewshindi]

रेखा गुप्ता बनी दिल्ली की चौथी महिला मुख्यमंत्री, पहली बार जीता है चुनाव; जानें क्या रहे तीन बड़े कारण

रेखा गुप्ता बनी दिल्ली की चौथी महिला मुख्यमंत्री, पहली बार जीता है चुनाव; जानें क्या रहे तीन बड़े कारण

Delhi New CM: दिल्ली में भारतीय जनता पार्टी (भाजपा) ने अपने मुख्यमंत्री के नाम का ऐलान कर दिया है। रेखा गुप्ता अब दिल्ली के नई मुख्यमंत्री होंगी। कल दोपहर करीब साढ़े 12 बजे रामलीला मैदान में वह मंत्रियों के साथ शपथ लेंगी। रेखा गुप्ता दिल्ली की चौथी महिला मुख्यमंत्री हैं। उनसे पहले आतिशी मार्लेना, शीला दीक्षित और सुषमा स्वराज दिल्ली की महिला सीएम रही हैं। रेखा गुप्ता भाजपा की 5वीं महिला…

[nivea-ah]

I am so horribly disappointed by the Paris Olympics, I can't even frame a sentence without having to take a pause to just scream in fury.

Vinesh Phogat from India was the first wrestler ever, man or woman, to reach the finals and have the opportunity to play the Indian National Anthem at the Olympics. She usually always played in the under 53kg category but due to some issues, she went with under 50kg.

She then went on to ANNIHILATE all competition by winning so wonderfully, it made all Indians proud. She won the semifinals, progressed to finals and even had an opportunity to win it. However, at night, she realised she'd gained roughly 3kg and wouldn't be able to participate with that weight. She ran on a treadmill with thick jackets on, sat in a hot sauna, didn't eat or drink anything and, in desperation, cut her hair off. After all this effort, her reading was 50.1kg and she was eliminated from the Olympics.

The weight of 100g pushed her back to the last position, not even letting her get her well-deserved silver medal. Due to severe dehydration, she fainted on the venue and was later admitted in a hospital. Just today, she announced her retirement.

In spite of not winning the gold medal, she is a champion, not only because of her other accomplishments, but because of her relentless support and participation in the wrestlers' protest against the then chief of Wrestling Federation of India for sexual harrasment. She spent months on the streets of New Delhi to get the government to do something and nearly threw all her medals in the River Ganga to get the authorities to act. She was a champion through and through. Gold medallist or not, she truly is gold.

[srbachchan]

DAY 6209

Jalsa, Mumbai Feb 15, 2025/Feb 16 Sat/Sun 4:06 am

When the hurly burly's done ; when the battle is lost and won .. then shall we three meet again in ONE ..

er.. WON ..

lost at this moment last year .. and victory this year .. determined passion and the will to be up on the stands with the emblem of VICTORY .. the CUP ..

How and why was it designed thus - the CUP of victory .. a symbol of the Winner .. a cup ?? really ..??

and then all the intricate actions proposed for them - bite it , kiss it , scream with its rising , inscribe it .. name fame game ..

Ahhh .. the human .. ever the thirst for recognition .. and position ..

I came 1st .. I won .. I beat the others .. my marks the highest .. my standing among the top the best ..

etc etc etc ...

And so filled with the glory of this , the night escapes along and the morn beckons soonest .. in a few whiles perhaps ..

The generation, needs the air to involve in the screams and freedom of cheer .. to let loose the strings of attached compulsion and break away to be in the free of suppressions ..

Each day a learning .. and each DAY 👆🏼 .. a leaning too .. for the days of yore and the educative times in the academic pretense .. the past years , the old associations .. and the often connect to disclose the relation with the elders .. and family ..

And this did it :

Dr Amarnath Jha .. Vice Chancellor of the Allahabad University .. the ultimate scholar of the time .. Head of the English Department .. mentor to several .. but for me , mentor to Babuji .. and the most respected in the annals of the University and many other institutions ..

A large chapter in Babuji's auto biography describes various personal incidents with Jha Saheb ..

And today his generational relative, coincidentally studying in Delhi University at the time of the time of mine , and a dear friend , brings forth this information of the forming of the NDA in Khadakwasla, nr Pune in Maharashtra ..

And describes a most uninhibited dream of hers ..

Dream experience: I Found myself in Allahabad and had a glimpse of the Kumbh mela ..sadhus and pilgrims swirling in the icy waters of the Ganga.. Then I went up to a large and dark hall high up on the banks Everyone wore white as they were waiting to cremate their loved ones I was waiting to cremate my Papa and Ma .. The room was packed Someone told me' Go to the 4 th floor Soon it will be the turn of your parents to be cremated'.. So I climbed upto the 4th floor which was an open wooden deck There was a huge cremation fire where my parents were waiting to be cremated.. Beyond the fire was the Ganga river.. I was most surprised because I had seen the Ganga far below.. This Ganga was connected to the sky..Aakash Ganga maybe.. A Voice said : The Kumbha mela on the Ganga below celebrates the cycle of Life . This Ganga touching the sky embraces death, transcends life and celebrates Eternity..

Some crows came by and Crowed The Voice said : Do you know why the crow comes when we pass ? The crow has the sharpest and finest vertical line at the centre of his tongue.. When the crow flies over the Ganga he draws a very fine gossamer thread exactly at the central line of the Ganga.. When ashes of our departed are immersed the ashes go alone into the depth of the Ganga to merge with the Gangetic soil.. But that fine centre line,like an umbilical cord , is where the soul is released , transcends tangible boundaries on its pathway to Eternity as crows and eagles show the way ..

There is more , but too personal to be put down here .. I feel ..

I sought permission to 'put it up on my Blog' .. and got it .. but then the desire from them, to visit my Blog and to disclose the link .. that scared me .. because their intellectual capacity cannot in any way lie side by side with my stupidity ..

To which there was an intellectual response :

Nothing of yours is stupid ..honestly .. life is made up of big things and very small even petty things ..the challenge is to connect the dots ..learn at each level how to be a bit objective even tho we can't help being reactive, learn the lessons and expand our consciousness.. small 'stupid' things are very important because they are like pin pricks to a balloon .. very provocative ..

My love and 😴 .. its 4:50 am of the 16th

Amitabh Bachchan

Birthday - EF - Fatima Mahomed

Sunday, 16 February .. love and care ..🌺

[metamatar]

also this election should def be the fucking end of bullshit narratives about the poor and uneducated giving bjp the win. tejasvi surya won in bangalore. by a record margin. all 7 delhi seats went to bjp despite a bjp led pogrom in the city and its own cm being arrested. fascism dominates in middle class india.

[city-of-ladies]

Though Qutlugh Turkan (c. 1208/1213–1283) began her life as a slave, she rose to become a ruler in her own right, ushering in a golden age for her lands.

A resourceful wife

Qutlugh Turkan was likely born in Transoxania between 1208 and 1213. She was enslaved as a child, purchased by a merchant from Isfahan, and given an excellent education. In 1235, she married Qutb al-Din Muhammad, the nephew of Buraq Hajib, the founder of the ruling dynasty of Kerman (in present-day Iran), a local power that emerged after the Mongol invasions.

After Buraq’s death, the Mongol Great Khan Ögedei granted Kerman to Buraq’s son, prompting Turkan and her husband to move to Transoxania. During this period, her intelligence and resourcefulness proved vital to her husband’s survival, earning him the of the local nobility.

In 1252, Qutb al-Din was installed as the ruler of Kerman. When he died five years later, it was time for Turkan to step into power.

Queen of a golden age

Turkan assumed control of Kerman in 1257, even though her husband’s male heirs were alive. The transition appears to have been smooth, with little opposition to a woman ascending the throne. She quickly established her authority, dispatching gifts to secure recognition of her rule.

Initially, Hulegu Khan granted her authority only over civil affairs, but Turkan’s persistence won her full control, including military oversight. She ruled independently for 26 years, a period celebrated as a golden age for the region of Kerman. The khutbah (Friday sermon) was proclaimed in her name in mosques, and her name appeared on coins.

Her reign brought stability and economic prosperity. Turkan was known for her equitable administration of justice and her benevolence. During times of famine, she opened the granaries to feed her people. She also initiated major building projects, including a madrasa, a hospital, a mosque, and fortified borders with new fortresses.

Coin minted during Turkan's reign

Challenges and Deposition

Turkan forged alliances with the Mongols, even marrying her daughter Padishah Khatun to Abaqa Khan, the ruler of Iran starting in 1265. She also sent troops led by her stepson (or possibly her biological son) Hijaj Sultan to support Abaqa.

However, Hijaj turned against her, publicly mocking her with this verse:

Young are your destiny and star, but old is your fortune; the one that is old should make way for the young.

Turkan sought Abaqa’s support and was reaffirmed as the ruler of Kerman. Hijaj’s attempt to depose her failed, forcing him to flee to Delhi, where he died a decade later.

Turkan’s fortunes changed with Abaqa’s death. His successor, Tegüder Ahmad, granted Kerman to her stepson, Suyurghatmish, ending her rule in 1282. Her efforts to reclaim the throne were unsuccessful and she died shortly afterward in a city in northern Iran.

Turkan’s daughter, Padishah Khatun later reclaimed the throne and ruled Kerman in her turn.

Enjoyed this post? You can support me on Ko-fi!

Further reading 

De Nicola Bruno, Women in Mongol Iran: The Khatuns 1206-1335

Mernissi Fatima, The Forgotten queens of Islam

“QOTLOḠ TARKĀN ḴĀTUN”, Encyclopedia Iranica

[chutkiandchotte]

I've been kind of in a IPK hateration mood lately (so if you're not in the mood for that look away lol) and its irritating that a lot of people find Khushi really annoying (which admittedly - she can be extremely trying, its kind of a core characteristic) for the same things they find extremely attractive and/or forgivable in Arnav. Such as arrogance, stubborness, narrow minded-ness, etc etc.

Personally to me, rewatching this show as a well grown adult (for the millionth time but thats not relevant 👀), Arnav can be extremely annoying. And immature too. And he's got flaws and made mistakes the size of Jupiter and not everything is to do with his deep dark past and lack of trust and misunderstandings.

Arnav calling the Gupta house ghatiya and his crappy behaviour leading up to that, for example, is to me one of his lowest moments but also an extremely real one which is perhaps why I have the most viscerally annoyed by it reaction. I am yet to meet someone who forced a girl into a contract marriage for 6 months to save their sister so its hard to take that one personally lol. But I do know about how casually violent classist dynamics can be especially in conservative families where the boy's side is richer than the girl's side. I've seen that exact anxious Gupta family - entitled damadji dynamic first hand. Yeah, this is how rich assholes in India behave and think. There isn't the slightest bit of gratitude or humility for the lottery they won in being one of the 1% of India, instead there is tremendous entitlement to every bit of power they wield combined with a barely concealed disgust/dehumanization of poor people. Unfortunately, best case scenario is actually someone like Arnav - not actively malicious or hostile but passively smugly superior towards anyone not of his "class", careless with his words and actions which often land as loaded weapons, and perfectly comfortable with using his money and power to control the lives of anyone dependent on him.

The ghatiya incident of course was followed by a contrition period of sorts which I do enjoy watching in isolation. But it means nothing really when you remember that well after misunderstandings are cleared, Arnav chose to financially blackmail Khushi with the threat of turning her poor parents out to the streets. That well after love declarations and marriage vows, Arnav in order to win an argument still mocked Khushi's financial status, reminded her of her financial dependency on him and insisted that all financial decisions should be taken by him.

There's a strong strain of classism in the way he thinks, in the language he uses, the numerous uses of the word "aukaad" - anyone who has spent any amount of time in Delhi knows the exact kind of person who frequently throws around the word aukaad. And frankly...its a toss up to me whats more annoying between Arnav's frequent and casual classism and Khushi's frequent and casual violation of people's boundaries.

(Except maybe that Arnav's is more annoying given that, you know, he gets the to tap into the power of oppressive structures of society to enforce all of his annoying habits while Khushi is just like, one annoying girl who often hurts people due to her interfering nature. The person I would consider the biggest victim of Khushi's annoying habits is actually Lavanya. Not Arnav.)

[fitsportsindia]

IPL 2025 : ओपनिंग मैच में भिड़ेंगी KKR और RCB, ईडन गार्डन्स में फाइनल

[rightnewshindi]

दिल्ली एमसीडी वार्ड समिति चुनावों में भाजपा ने 7 जोन में दर्ज की जीत, यहां देखें विजेताओं की लिस्ट

Delhi MCD Election Result: दिल्ली नगर निगम (एमसीडी) वार्ड समिति चुनाव में भारतीय जनता पार्टी ने जीत का परचम लहराते हुए 12 में से 7 जोन में जीत दर्ज की है। बुधवार को सुबह 10 बजे से शाम 4 बजे तक हुए चुनाव के परिणाम शाम साढ़े छह बजे तक घोषित कर दिए गए। जिसमें भाजपा ने आम आदमी पार्टी को पछाड़ते हुए जीत दर्ज की। इन चुनावों में आम आदमी पार्टी को झटका लगा और वो 5 जोन में ही जीत हासिल कर सकी। इस चुनाव…

[bollywoodirect]

On this day, October 11, the world celebrates the birthday of a man who needs no introduction – #AmitabhBachchan. Born as Amitabh Shrivastav in 1942, he’s more than just a Bollywood legend; he’s a force that has shaped Indian cinema for over five decades.

Hailing from Allahabad (now Prayagraj), the son of the celebrated poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan and social activist Teji Bachchan, Amitabh’s journey was destined for greatness. After studying in Sherwood College, Nainital, and Kirori Mal College in Delhi, he began his career in 1969 with a voiceover in Bhuvan Shome. Little did anyone know that this voice would soon become one of the most iconic in Indian cinema.

By the 1970s, with films like Anand, Zanjeer, and Sholay, he became the face of the "angry young man" of India. From there, the list of legendary movies only grew—Amar Akbar Anthony, Don, Shakti—each performance cementing his title as the "Shahenshah of Bollywood." His cinematic reign in the ‘70s and ‘80s was so commanding that French filmmaker François Truffaut once referred to him as a "one-man industry."

But Amitabh’s story isn’t one of easy triumphs. After a brief break in the 1990s, he made a stellar comeback in the 2000s with roles in Mohabbatein, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, and Piku, for which he won his record fourth National Film Award for Best Actor. His international appeal also soared with appearances in films like The Great Gatsby (2013).

His list of accolades is as long as his filmography—four National Film Awards, sixteen Filmfare Awards, and the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award. The Indian government has honored him with the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan. Even France bestowed upon him its highest civilian award, the Knight of the Legion of Honour.

Not just an actor, Amitabh has dabbled in politics, produced films, sung playback, and hosted numerous seasons of Kaun Banega Crorepati, India’s beloved quiz show. His impact goes far beyond Indian shores, with fans across Africa, the Middle East, and the UK. In 1999, a BBC poll named him the "greatest star of stage or screen," and TIME magazine dubbed him the "Star of the Millennium."

As we wish the Shahenshah a very happy birthday today, let’s take a moment to reflect on his incredible journey. What are your favorite Amitabh Bachchan movies?

[lboogie1906]

Martin Luther King III (October 23, 1957) is a human rights activist, philanthropist & advocate. The oldest living child of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, he served as the 4th President of the SCLC (1997-2004).

After he attended The Galloway School, he attended Morehouse College, the same school where his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather attended. He is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, as was his father. He received his BA in political science from Morehouse College.

On June 9, 1986, he announced his candidacy for the Fulton County Commission, becoming the first of his father’s immediate family to become directly involved in politics. He won the election and was re-elected in 1990, serving (1987-93). He was defeated in a special election for the Chairmanship in 1993.

He opposed the death penalty in 1989, stating “If we believed in an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, most of us would be without eyes and without teeth”. In 1993, he helped found the Estate of Martin Luther King Jr. Inc., the company that manages the license of Martin Luther King Jr.’s image and intellectual property. He remains a commissioner in the company as of 2008. During his service as a commissioner in Fulton County, he expressed appreciation to an officer who potentially saved his mother from harm from a crazed man. In February 2009, he and his wife traveled to India, fifty years after his father and mother made the trip. During his stay in India, he led a delegation, which included John Lewis and Andrew Young. In New Delhi, he visited museums on Mahatma Gandhi’s life and answered questions from students. He denounced the war in Iraq and the Mumbai attacks during a lecture at the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

He urged Texas to grant a reprieve to death row inmate Rodney Reed in 2019 and urged Alabama to stop the execution of Nathaniel Woods in 2020.

He was among the co-founders of Bounce TV. He serves on the Board of Advisors of Let America Vote, an organization that aims to end voter suppression. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence #alphaphialpha

[kuch-toh-garbad-hai-daya]

Indian Elections: The Campaign and how much it worked (Part 1)

Since the results are out, let's talk about it (as if we haven't been doing it since the last few hours) properly.

First of all, Uttar Pradesh voters, you people are betrayers. I'm not saying it, BJP & its supporters are. But seriously, Samajvadi Party's campaign for this year was definitely strong. Yogi really thought that it's going to be a piece of cake didn't he. Thank you voters for showing them the ground reality. Ayodhya, Amethi, Raebareli, the trinity of my joy.

Rajasthan. Yes, BJP won here with 14 seats. But lost 10 seats. Congress really shone on its own here, gaining 8 seats when in the last election, it was on the zero mark. Sachin Pilot and that man alone worked on Rajasthan. Honestly they need to put him front and center.

Madhya Pradesh is 100% a well-deserved BJP sweep. Let's not forget that it's not the Modi factor that worked here, it was Shivraj Singh Chauhan. That man worked his ass off during Vidhaan Sabha campaign last year and it really paid off in Lok Sabha. (God, I still remember women crying when he didn't become the Chief Minister).

I guess it was tough for West Bengal voters, no? I'm not much familiar Bengal politics but from what I've heard, they had to choose between two evils. Still, Didi gets 29 out of 42 seats, leaving BJP and Congress on the 6 and 1 mark respectively.

Lmao, they fucked up in Bihar. I can rant for hours about this. The seat distribution was already messed up, but Nitish Babu leaving put the nail in the coffin. BJP and JD(U) won 12 seats each, with RJD and Congress winning 4 and 3 respectively. Left also got 2 or 3 seats. I'm glad Pappu Yadav (on Purniya seat) won nirdaliye. Well deserved.

As for Odisha, I guess people have lost all the hopes in Naveen Patnaik, because BJD remained on zero, BJP getting all of its seats (20). Congress won 1 seat here.

I don't have much to say about Delhi. It's a BJP sweep. I guess AAP didn't get to campaign much since Arvind Kejriwal was literally put in jail? I'm still salty that Kanhaiya Kumar lost.

That's all for now, rest in the next part.

[myauditionfordrphil]

Ok I'mma vent this out at once and will try to not utter a word about this cursed night again. India deserved this cup, they really did. Because if there's been a team who performed the best and embodied the spirit and passion of cricket it's been India. They did their best from the very first game against Australia... Jaddu's wickets (especially Smith's), the top order collapse and King and Rahul's partnership winning us the game (also Rahul's 97). Then came Afghanistan and Bangladesh - Rohit's century, Virat in delhi (vs Naveen, their hug), Hardik's injury resulting in our dear Cheeku's bowling, KL refusing runs to complete Virat's century, Ro - Vi - Rah hug 🤌and ofc umpire not giving the wide. The Pakistan rivalry came into the tournament but our streak was saved when we defeated them 8 - 0. Then came the most dreaded match against New Zealand - Vi's missed century was definitely a sore spot but the revenge was completed. Shami being shami showing why you should not bench him with his fifer and Jaddu hitting the final runs to avenge Mahi Bhai. England and Sri Lanka were no match - they were destroyed by our balling - the only good thing was Gill's knock, Shreyas' century and ofc RohiRat hugs ✨. We made a Sri Lanka out of South Africa with the King getting a century on his b'day and destroyed Netherlands but the main part was Virat and Rohit taking wickets. Then came the semis against NZ and honestly the whole desiblr was scared as fuck bcz of our history but Revenge was taken... Kohli shattering all records and hitting his 50th century making us prouder than ever (anushka's kisses and bowing to the God Sachin will forever be remembered) and Shami's 7 wickets, like is there a way to stop Lalaji bcz I can't think of one (amd what's this 7 factor? 397 runs, all out at 327, won by 70 runs, shami taking 7 wickets ? tribute to Thala ig). But it all came down to this, we lost the finals... After all this we lost, 1.5 billion hearts are broken, the 12 year wait continues. But this tournament will never be forgotten, we laughed and we cried with our team and supported them at every step. We saw moments we'll never forget, we made memories seeing records being broken and our boys having the time of their lives, hugging and dancing on the field and being more excited for the mighty fielding medal than the actual match itself. So this tournament will forever be remembered. You'd expect me to say congratulations to Australia but no, they played well ofc but no team played cricket better than India... Just bcz this team didn't performed in one single match didn't mean that they didn't deserve to win this. Kohli gave all of his soul, Rohit made this team what it is and Shami gutted all his haters but sadly luck was not on our side. After winning all 10 matches our unbeaten streak got broken in the finals only. Yes I'm heartbroken to core but at the same time I'm bloody proud of our boys who gave everything they had, your heads should be held high. In my own delusional world India won this cup and not just team India but the whole country. In my mind we are the winners and the team got the prize for their blood, sweat and tears. You'll all be remembered forever as champions.

Bleed blue 🩵

[tomorrowusa]

This is a good idea...

Ban fossil fuel ads to save climate, says UN chief

Tobacco ads were banned on TV and radio in the early 1970s in the United States. That began a process of denormalization of tobacco which has continued in the years since then.

Climate change likely played a role in India's national election.

The hidden story behind India’s remarkable election results: lethal heat

The Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), led by India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, has won more seats than the opposition alliance, and yet its victory tastes of defeat. Why? In the days leading to the election, the BJP’s main slogan had been Abki baar, 400 Paar, a call to voters to send more than 400 of its candidates to the 543-member parliament. This slogan, voiced by Modi at his campaign rallies, set a high bar for the party. Most exit polls had predicted a massive victory for the BJP – and now the results, with that party having won only 240 seats, suggest that the electorate has sent a chastening message to the ruling party and trimmed its hubris. [ ... ] People in Patna voted on 1 June, the last day of the seven-phase polling schedule. In Patna, the temperature had hovered above 40C. Local newspapers carried government ads exhorting voters to exercise their franchise, as well as half-page ads from the health ministry offering advice about how to avoid heatstroke. In the days leading to the voting in Patna, there were reports of personnel at polling stations dying from the heat. In the nation’s capital, Delhi, there were protests over water shortages. Last week, the temperature in Delhi hit 49.9C.

For the Celsius-challenged, 49.9° C = 121.8° F. That's just 0.2° F short of the all time record high temperature in Phoenix, Arizona which reputedly has "dry" heat.

As it turned out the ruling BJP did win the election but will be able to govern only with the help of electoral allies. The BJP had been boasting about getting 400 seats in the 543 seat Lok Sabha - the lower house of parliament. It ended up with just 240 with its allies winning 53 for a total of 293 seats. It is a modest working majority but is way down from the 353 seats won by the BJP & allies in the previous election.

Climate was certainly not the only issue in the election but experiencing a severe heat wave in which people were dropping dead at polling places is bound to have an impact. Politicians in India may now be more open to moving away from fossil fuels. The opposition would be wise to make climate change a bigger issue.

[mariacallous]

As the northern Indian region of Jammu and Kashmir heads to the polls for its first regional-level elections in nearly a decade, voters and candidates alike are still feeling the political hangover from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2019 decision to revoke the region’s special autonomous status.

In August 2019, the Indian government scrapped Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, reducing the former state of Jammu and Kashmir to two union territories—Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh—and bringing them under the direct control of New Delhi. The decision, a watershed in the region’s troubled history, sparked outrage. It also marked a shift in how India intended to govern Kashmir, which remains disputed territory with Pakistan.

Even as Jammu and Kashmir gears up to announce the winner of its legislative elections on Oct. 8, the local government will wield limited powers, constrained by a series of laws passed since 2019 that have reinforced the central government’s control over the region. Though the newly formed Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly will have power to make some laws, the region will be headed still by a New Delhi-appointed governor, who wields substantial authority over public order, police, bureaucracy, anti-corruption measures, and financial matters.

The region, particularly the Kashmir Valley, has witnessed decades of violence since the 1988 insurgency that drew India and Pakistan into three wars. Since it came to power in 2014, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asserted that its policies have brought development and democracy to Kashmir. However, people in the region have generally expressed anger over Modi’s revocation of Article 370, which consolidated power in the hands of nonlocals.

Meanwhile, other regional parties in Kashmir—including separatist groups such as Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir (JeI), Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, and the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front—have been banned or marginalized and many of their leaders imprisoned. The remaining dissidents in Kashmir have either changed their stance or stayed quiet out of fear of repression. Kashmiris are thus using this election season as an outlet for expressing frustration and anger by supporting local political parties or non-BJP candidates.

To New Delhi, the elections represent a chance to signal that Kashmir has moved on from its long-standing demands for azadi, or freedom, and has instead flourished in the post-2019 environment. However, many separatist groups or individuals who previously boycotted elections, including some backed by the banned JeI, are now participating. Meanwhile, mainstream Kashmiri politicians are positioning themselves as the last line of defense against what they perceive as the BJP’s attempts to reshape the region’s political dynamics, urging voters to reject Modi’s narrative and promising to restore Kashmir’s autonomy.

Kashmir kick-started its phased elections on Sept. 18, with the second round of voting taking place on Sept. 25. The third and final round of voting will take place on Oct. 1, before results are announced a week later.

There are a total of 90 seats up for grabs, but with more than 300 independent candidates out of 873 in the race, it has become one of the most unpredictable elections in Kashmir’s history. The BJP has set a goal of winning at least 30-35 of 43 seats in Jammu, while it is contesting 19 of the 47 seats in the Kashmir Valley, a Muslim-majority region where it has traditionally struggled to gain traction.

Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, has emerged as another key figure. Rashid represents the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) and is a two-time lawmaker from northern Kashmir who contested and won a seat in India’s parliament in June, defeating prominent figures such as former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of the National Conference party and Sajad Lone, the leader of the People’s Conference party.

Rashid’s victory by a margin of more than 200,000 votes marked a shift in the region’s politics—signaling anger toward the politicians who had failed to safeguard Kashmir’s autonomy or bring about meaningful changes in their decades of rule. In the last year, Rashid’s AIP has gained traction and positioned itself as a formidable player in the regional elections. While campaigning on behalf of AIP candidates, Rashid has vehemently targeted Abdullah’s and Lone’s parties, accusing them of ganging up against him.

Rashid, who was arrested in 2019 on terrorism funding charges under India’s draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, was recently released on interim bail. At a campaign rally in Baramulla, a town in northern Kashmir, on Sept. 13, he spoke to an energized crowd.

“[Modi’s] naya [new] Kashmir was [meant] to kill, arrest, harass, and humiliate people,” he told the gathering. “Kashmiris don’t like to throw stones, but that doesn’t mean we will surrender before your power,” he added, while his supporters cheered him on.

Rashid has promised the reinstatement of Kashmir’s autonomy, the release of all political prisoners, and the repeal of controversial laws such as the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act. The campaign offers a platform that appeals to people, especially the youth, who feel that their voices have been stifled since 2019. But many of Rashid’s opponents—including Abdullah and Lone, as well as Mehbooba Mufti, another former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir—have accused him of being an agent of the BJP.

The BJP has also been accused of supporting other political parties and independent candidates, further complicating the region’s political landscape. Another such example is JeI—which remains banned under the country’s anti-terrorism law. Though most of its leaders remain imprisoned and its assets seized, it is trying to make a comeback in this year’s elections and has demanded the suspension of its ban.

Abdullah, who was Jammu and Kashmir’s chief minister from 2009 to 2015, has voiced concerns over the proliferation of independent candidates and accused the BJP of using them to dilute the opposition’s vote. “Independent candidates are being deliberately fielded to create confusion and divide votes in critical constituencies,” he said at a recent rally. “The BJP is leaving its options open. … Voters need to be cautious. Fragmented votes will only serve to help those who do not have Jammu and Kashmir’s best interests at heart.”

To bolster its chances and stave off a BJP victory in Kashmir, the National Conference has formed an alliance with Rahul Gandhi, India’s opposition leader from the Indian National Congress party. Yet the Gandhi-Abdullah alliance’s promises to restore the region’s autonomy are viewed skeptically, even by their own supporters. New Delhi has made it abundantly clear that Article 370 will never be reinstated.

Mufti, the leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and who was chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir from 2016 to 2018, has also thrown her hat in the ring. After the 2014 elections, the PDP formed an alliance with the BJP—which has cost it support—but since 2019, the PDP has been the strongest opponent of the BJP and its policies in Kashmir. On Sept. 25, Mufti told a gathering: “Jammu and Kashmir will never have a BJP government. There will be a secular government. … PDP will be an important factor.”

Mufti’s party has also pledged to bring back statehood, revoke detention laws, and release prisoners, among other promises. Meanwhile, the BJP has continued to target both Abdullah and Mufti as “dynasts” who have kept Kashmir mired in conflict.

Though the debate over Kashmir’s autonomy has taken center stage among candidates, voters across polling stations in Kashmir are also concerned about their daily cost of living and issues such as high unemployment, increased electricity costs, limited infrastructure, and continuous detentions and police verifications.

The current political climate in Kashmir harks back to the 1970s, when Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, then the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, pledged to safeguard the region’s autonomy while New Delhi’s Janata Party—a precursor to today’s BJP—led by Morarji Desai, tried to block his return to power.

Similar to the 1977 regional elections, today’s promises of autonomy now ring hollow to many residents, as successive governments have failed to preserve Kashmir’s special status. Kashmiris feel that elections have historically served as a tool to dilute their aspirations rather than fulfilling them. Manzoor Ahmad, a 49-year-old from Srinagar, voted for the first time this year. “I voted for a greater good,” he said. “We are facing lots of problems as we have been crushed. We want a local party to win to stop this.”

No matter who wins the elections, however, the new government is likely to be weak with limited powers, overshadowed by the New Delhi-appointed governor. The elections have thus become a ballot on the region’s lack of autonomy—and by extension, a test of how voters view Modi’s government.

“These election rallies have the same nomenclature as that of protest rallies in the past,” said Waheed Parra, a PDP candidate from southern Kashmir. “I see people, mostly youth, in campaigns, and it is visible they are angry. They want space to be expressed and be heard. Nobody has listened to them in the past five years.” Parra warned that if the mandate of these elections is not respected by New Delhi, the situation on the ground could turn dangerous.

The undercurrents may already exist. It appears not everyone in Kashmir is excited about the elections. Compared with the 2014 regional elections, some parts of the valley have either witnessed low voter turnout or only a slight increment. In Srinagar, for example, which is the summer capital, turnout in the second phase of voting was low, at just under 30 percent.

New Delhi has invited a delegation of 15 diplomats from foreign countries, including the United States, to observe the local elections, though many of the BJP’s opponents, including Abdullah, have questioned the visit.

Kashmir’s political future may still be fragile, but its path is being steadily reshaped by forces both old and new. As the elections progress, one thing is evident: New Delhi’s attempts to suppress dissent and tighten its grip on Kashmir over the last five years have inadvertently reignited the region’s political landscape, bringing back to the stage individuals and groups who once led mass protests and called for election boycotts. Simultaneously, the fear of continued repression has prompted many to vote, in a bid to see some change—even as the region’s underlying tensions remain unresolved.