Srinagar, Oct 12: Leader of Opposition Sunil Kumar Sharma on Monday revived the controversy surrounding the 1987 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, targeting the Abdullah family over allegations of electoral manipulation and accusing the Congress of having a history of vote rigging.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Sharma said those raising questions about electoral transparency should first address the allegations surrounding the 1987 polls, which remain one of the most contentious episodes in Jammu and Kashmir’s political history.
“If an allegation of vote chori is to be put on someone, it is on the 1987 rigging,” Sharma said, asking the Abdullah family to answer for the controversy.
The BJP leader’s remarks came amid a wider political confrontation over electoral credibility, with opposition parties raising concerns about the electoral process and the BJP challenging their claims.
Sharma also questioned Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s position on the issue, referring to his reported earlier praise for the conduct of the 2024 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. The LoP argued that the Chief Minister should explain the apparent contrast between those remarks and the opposition’s present campaign.
He further accused the Congress of electoral manipulation in the past and contrasted the allegations surrounding the 1987 polls with elections held during the tenures of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which he described as fair.
Sharma also alleged that a deputy commissioner named Khaliq had exercised influence over the selection of legislators in the past, claiming that some MLAs were referred to as “Khaliq-made MLAs”. The specific allegation could not be independently verified.
The 1987 Assembly elections remain a defining chapter in Kashmir’s political history. The National Conference-Congress alliance secured a sweeping victory against the Muslim United Front (MUF), which had emerged as a significant political challenger amid growing public discontent. The MUF won only four of the 44 seats it contested, while allegations of widespread electoral manipulation followed the results.
The controversy has since featured prominently in debates about public confidence in democratic institutions and the political developments that preceded the rise of armed militancy in Kashmir. However, the region’s subsequent turmoil had multiple political and historical causes, and the election should not be treated as its sole explanation.
Sharma’s latest intervention seeks to turn the historical controversy into a contemporary political challenge for the National Conference and Congress, questioning their credibility as they criticise the electoral process.
Targeting the INDIA bloc’s street protests, Sharma argued that political demonstrations should not disrupt the daily lives of ordinary people. He said opposition parties could organise gatherings at designated venues instead of blocking roads and inconveniencing commuters, students, patients and businesses.
“People have to go to school, people have to go to hospitals, people have to open businesses. If you close all the roads, no one will allow you anywhere,” he said.
He also criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his reported interaction with a woman police officer during the protests, describing the conduct as unacceptable.
On the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Sharma said it would be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir along with the rest of the country, rejecting Omar Abdullah’s reported assertion that the legislation would never be implemented in the region.
“UCC will be implemented in India, and Kashmir will also be part of it,” Sharma said.
The statement adds another point of disagreement between the BJP and the National Conference, which have clashed over constitutional questions, governance and the region’s political future.
Sharma’s remarks thus linked the legacy of the 1987 elections with current disputes over electoral transparency, opposition protests and the proposed Uniform Civil Code, signalling another round of political sparring between the BJP and the INDIA bloc in Jammu and Kashmir.
