The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) is a regional political party in Indian-administered Kashmir's union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Founded as the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference by Sheikh Abdullah and Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas in 1932 in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, the organisation renamed itself to "National Conference" in 1939 in order to represent all the people of the state. It supported the accession of the princely state to India in 1947. Prior to that, in 1941, a group led by Ghulam Abbas broke off from the National Conference and revived the old Muslim Conference. The revived Muslim Conference supported the accession of the princely state to Pakistan and led the movement for Azad Kashmir.
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was an Indian politician who served twice as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, during November 2002–November 2005 and March 2015–January 2016. He was also Minister of Tourism in Rajiv Gandhi's cabinet and Home Minister of India in V. P. Singh's cabinet. He started in the wing of the National Conference led by G. M. Sadiq, which later merged into the Indian National Congress. He switched to Janata Dal in 1987, eventually founding his own regional party, People's Democratic Party (PDP). The PDP continues to be a political force in Jammu and Kashmir, currently led by his daughter Mehbooba Mufti.
Mehbooba Mufti Sayed is an Indian politician of the PDP, who served as the 9th Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir from 4 April 2016 to 19 June 2018. She was the first Female CM of J&K. After the revocation of the special status (autonomy) of the state in August 2019, Mufti was detained without any charges at first and later under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act. She was released only in October 2020, after the Supreme Court of India quizzed the government about the length of her detention.
Farooq Abdullah is an Indian politician and current President of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference. He has served as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on several occasions since 1982, and as the union minister for New and Renewable Energy between 2009 and 2014. He is the son of the 1st elected Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Sheikh Abdullah, and father of former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah.
Omar Abdullah is an Indian politician who served as former Chief Minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and Chairperson of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference since 2009.
The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a state political party in Jammu and Kashmir, India. The PDP was headed and founded by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed. His daughter, Mehbooba Mufti, succeeded him as party leader and as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir following his death in January 2016. The party is a member of the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration electoral alliance. The party is also a member of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance since its founding on 18 June 2023.
The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election, 2014 was held in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir in five phases from 25 November – 20 December 2014. Voters elected 87 members to the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, which ends its six-year term on 19 January 2020. The results were declared on 23 December 2014. Voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) along with EVMs were used in 3 assembly seats out of 87 in Jammu Kashmir elections.
Elections for the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir were held over September–October 1996. Farooq Abdullah became Chief Minister of Jammu Kashmir after the elections. The 1996 Lok Sabha elections and assembly elections in the state were possible due to efforts of counter-insurgents like Kuka Parray,.
Aijaz Ahmad Khan popularly known as Aijaz Saab or Sher-e-Gool Gulabgarh is an Indian politician and was a member of the 10th, 11th and 12th Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly from Gool Arnas constituency. He served as Minister of various portfolios from 2002 to 2014 in Jammu and Kashmir Govt under the Chief Ministership of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Omar Abdullah. He also served as Deputy Leader of Congress Legislative Party from 2014 to 2018 He left Congress and became founding member of Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) formed on 8 March 2020. He is also currently the Vice President of Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party. He is also the Vice President of PAC and member CWC of Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party.
Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari is an Indian politician hailing from Jammu and Kashmir. He is the president of the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party, a political organization, which he launched in 2020. He served as the Member of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly from 2015 to 2018, representing the Amira Kadal Assembly constituency. He served as the education minister of Jammu and Kashmir and later assumed the additional responsibility of the Finance, Labour and Employment ministry.
A by-election was held in the Lok Sabha constituency of Srinagar on 9 April 2017 with repolling in 38 polling on 13 April. It was triggered by the resignation of Tariq Hameed Karra after his defection from Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party to the Indian National Congress.
Hasnain Masoodi is an Indian politician from the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference Party and currently a Member of Parliament in the 17th Lok Sabha representing Anantnag Lok Sabha seat. He is a former judge of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir.
Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali is an Indian politician and former cabinet minister of Jammu and Kashmir. He is an Advocate by profession and was part of the 11th and 12th Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly from Darhal constituency. He is a second-generation politician whose father Chowdhary Mohmmad Hussain was a renowned politician in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. Zulfkar has also served as Cabinet Minister under the Chief Ministership of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Mehbooba Mufti 2015 to 2018. He was associated with Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party and served as district chief of the party for district Rajouri 2003 to 2013. He resigned from the PDP and became one of the founding member of Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party. Presently Vice President of the party. Ali has been Honoured with Best Legislature 2012. As a Cabinet Minister, Ali headed various portfolios. Zulfkar also implemented the national food security act (NFSA) in the state and launched a food for poor scheme (MMSFES).
Chowdhary Mohmmad Hussain was an Indian politician and bureaucrat. He was part of 4th, 6th, 8th and 9th Jammu and Kashmir state Legislative assembly. He represented the Darhal Vidhan Sabha constituency of Rajouri district of erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir 5 times. He was first elected as MLA from this seat, on the mandate of Indian national congress in 1967 and 1969. He remained district chief of the INC for a long period. In 1972 he was denied the mandate by the INC, In 1975 he joined Jammu and Kashmir national conference headed by Sheikh Mohmmed Abdullah. In 1977 he contested the elections from the same vidhan sabha seat on the mandate of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference and was elected for 3rd time to the Vidhan Sabha. He was inducted in the council of ministers of Sheikh Mohmmed Abdullah. In 1983 he lost the elections to INC candidate and veteran spiritual gujjar leader with a very thin margin. In 1987, elections to Jammu and Kashmir legialative assembly, he was again elected to represent this constituency. Again, in 1996 elected to vidhan sabha for, and was again inducted in the council of ministers headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah which he held till his death 30 September 2002. He also served as Block Development Officer from 1957 to 1967. As a minister he headed the revenue, relief and rehabilitation, rural development and Panchayati Raj cooperatives departments etc. His younger son Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali also represents Darhal in 11th and 12th Assemblies and was a cabinet minister in the Mufti Mohommad Sayeed and Mehbooba Mufti Governments.
Abdul Rashid Dar also known amongst his supporters as Dar-Sahab was a senior leader and a veteran politician from the state of Jammu & Kashmir, who served as the chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council. He also served as MLA and throughout his career, Dar held several senior positions in the government.
The People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) is a political alliance between the several political parties in Jammu and Kashmir campaigning for autonomy for the region by restoring special status along with Article 35A of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. Farooq Abdullah is the president of the alliance.
On 24 June 2021 the first major interaction between leaders of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Government of India post revocation of the former states special status and its reorganisation took place.
Peer Mohammed Hussain Soharvardi is a Kashmiri politician and former Minister of State in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. He served as Member of Legislative Assembly (2002-2008) after being elected from the Shangus assembly constituency. He, subsequently, also served as Vice Chairman of the J&K Muslim Wakf Board.
