Altaf Ahmad Wani The JKNC’s Key Player In Pahalgam’s Electoral Battle
The upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections, scheduled from September 18 to October 1, 2024, are set to reshape the political landscape of the region. The results for the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly will be declared on October 8, 2024. This election holds historic significance as it is the first since the revocation of the region’s special status in 2019, marked by the abrogation of Article 370 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act. These changes redefined Jammu and Kashmir into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Altaf Ahmad Wani, also known as Altaf Kuloo, is a prominent figure in Jammu and Kashmir politics, representing the Pahalgam constituency in the Legislative Assembly. Born in 1972, Wani is the only son of Ghulam Rasool Wani, an engineer-turned-businessman who made significant contributions to educational development by establishing the Delhi Public School in Anantnag.
Wani embarked on his political journey in 2008 with the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), though his first assembly election attempt was unsuccessful. However, his political career took a significant turn when he was appointed as a Member of the Legislative Council in 2009. Within a short span, Wani ascended through the ranks of the JKNC, gaining considerable favor with the party’s top leaders.
In the 2014 Assembly elections, Altaf Ahmad Wani secured his position in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly by winning the Pahalgam seat with 25,232 votes. His victory margin of 904 votes over Rafi Ahmad Mir of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP) marked a significant achievement for Wani.
The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) is a key political entity in the region, with a storied history dating back to its founding as the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference in 1932 by Sheikh Abdullah and Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas. Renamed the National Conference in 1939, the party aimed to represent the entire populace of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Historically, the National Conference held power in Jammu and Kashmir in various capacities from 1947 to 2002, and again from 2009 to 2015. The party played a crucial role in implementing land reforms, ensuring state autonomy under Article 370, and drafting a separate Constitution for Jammu and Kashmir in 1957. The leadership of the party has been sustained by Sheikh Abdullah’s descendants, including Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah.
The JKNC is currently a member of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, an electoral coalition focused on restoring the region’s special status and advocating for greater autonomy.
Known for its picturesque landscapes, Pahalgam is a key constituency within the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha area. The election results here will be closely watched as an indicator of the shifting political dynamics in Jammu and Kashmir.
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