In the election campaign for the second phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, scheduled for September 25, the issues of inflation, unemployment, and development are dominating the discourse. 

The electorate is also divided over the abrogation of Article 370. Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent rally in Kishtwar further emphasised this divide. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir should the BJP win.

Amid this, the Muslim-majority Pir Panjal region, encompassing Rajouri and Poonch districts, has witnessed a dramatic shift in the political landscape. The BJP, which was earlier unpopular among the locals, is now gaining traction. In Surankot too, the BJP’s has emerged as a formidable force, with the party mounting a serious challenge against the National Conference and Congress alliance. Similar trends are unfolding in Rajouri, Thanamandi, Mendhar, Budhal, and Gulabgarh as well. But what is behind the BJP’s changing perception among Muslim voters in the region?

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