India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting the main city in Himalayan Kashmir to campaign for his party in the staggered local election in a first such vote since New Delhi stripped the disputed region’s semi-autonomy in 2019.

Jammu and Kashmir is set to vote in the second and third phases of their Assembly polls on September 25 and October 5 respectively. The results are to be declared on October 8. J&K recorded a 61 per cent voter turnout across 24 constituencies in seven districts in phase one of the assembly polls which concluded peacefully.

Eight constituencies in the Jammu region and 16 from the Kashmir Valley voted on the first phase of assembly elections. Two more rounds of voting remain.

With fresh faces emerging to challenge the traditional political powerhouses, the region’s political dynamics already appear to be changing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday promised to restore statehood to Jammu & Kashmir. Speaking at an election campaign rally in Katra in the Reasi district, he also accused the Opposition of trying to bring back bloodshed in Kashmir by reversing the abrogation of Article 370.