The just-concluded assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir – the only Indian state assembly to have tenure of six years whereas all others have a lifespan of five years only – are of immense strategic importance, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval told Firstpost in an exclusive interview.

The just-concluded assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir – the only Indian state assembly to have tenure of six years whereas all others have a lifespan of five years only – are of immense strategic importance, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval told Firstpost in an exclusive interview.

Doval said on Sunday that it was for the first time in decades, especially since the state came in the grip of insurgency in 1989, when Jammu and Kashmir had peaceful, transparent and free and fair polls in which a record number of people had come out to vote.

“The elections in J&K have been by and large peaceful. Moreover, there are no complaints of rigging or booth capturing or poll malpractices,” Doval said. “Isn’t it creditable?” Doval asked.

The biggest achievement in this election, according to Doval, has been the high voter turnout in Jammu and Kashmir. The state registered its highest voter turn-out in assembly elections in the last quarter century with an estimated 65 percent of voters casting their votes.

Whatever the election results may be – and the world will know that on 23 December when the votes are counted – the most important achievement of the Central government is that more voters visited the polling booths and cast their votes since the onset of militancy in the state in 1989.

Doval, however, refused to answer questions on Pakistan and said the people of Jammu and Kashmir demonstrated that voices from the wilderness were marginalized.

“You just have to look at the facts how the Hurriyat and all separatist groups have been marginalized in these elections. The heavy voter turnout proves that.”

Doval also talked about the high number of candidates, particularly Muslims that the BJP fielded in these elections.

The BJP fielded candidates in 70 out of 87 assembly constituencies, which is a record for the right-wing party in this Muslim dominated state.

The BJP fielded nearly 40 percent Muslim candidates as part of its strategy to try to form government on its own steam under its Mission 44 programme – the number 44 being an allusion to clear majority of just over 50% mark in the state assembly. The party fielded a record 32 Muslim candidates in the state, 25 in the Kashmir valley, six in the Muslim-dominated Jammu region and one in Ladakh.

Doval noted that this was indeed a creditable feat for a party which is seen largely as a Hindu party to have fielded so many Muslim candidates in Muslim-dominated constituencies in a Muslim-dominated state.

Doval’s comments show how seriously the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections.

Though Doval declined to talk about the Pakistan angle in these elections, it has been made amply clear that the Modi government has actually taken on Pakistan in a big way.

Pakistan-backed elements in Jammu and Kashmir, egged on by their masters in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, have always tried to mar the electoral process in this Indian state. But Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections 2014 have scripted a different history this time around.

This is the first time in the quarter century old insurgency history of Jammu and Kashmir that the Pakistan factor has been marginalized to such an extent. In that sense, the J&K elections are indeed of immense strategic significance and this is the point that Ajit Doval has emphasized.

However, one last impediment remains to be crossed by India – that after the election results on 23 December a duly constitutional government takes over in J&K. This is a residual issue but an important one in a democracy like India.

After the election process is duly completed in J&K, it will be India’s turn to ask questions from Pakistan. The Indian questions will be centered on ballot – not bullet. The onus will inevitably shift on Pakistan.

After 23 December, it should be the world, not just India, to ask Pakistan to conduct similar free and fair elections in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and in Gilgit-Baltistan region.

Post 23 December should be the time for India to deflect the onus on Pakistan. After all, isn’t it Pakistan that has all along questioned India's democratic processes in Jammu and Kashmir even though the entire PoK continues to be micromanaged from Rawalpindi without any credible democratic elections for decades?