For the first time in the last 23 years separatists have withdrawn into a shell and desisted from launching the anti-election campaign in Kashmir.
Thanks to the crackdown and ban on Jamat-e-Islami and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), the centre's tough policy has hit the morale of the separatists so hard that they avoid any confrontation with the government.
Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani though had called for boycotting elections, his party workers and leaders have avoided hitting the streets to launch anti-election campaign which used to be the norm before the renewed crackdown against the separatists.
"Elections are integral part of any democratic process, but here there is not even a trace of any democratic values. No sane citizen of this state, belonging to any region or religion, is satisfied with the ground situation of this land.
Death and destruction and political instability has led to such a chaotic scenario. A vast and forceful military operation even if covered under the carpet of elections, can in no way hide its venomous character" said Geelani.
Separatists have been campaigning hard against the elections since 1996 when political process started after violent phase of terrorism. Most of the separatists have been using mosques to spread the word against the elections.
Even separatists used to lead protest marches and put up posters asking people to stay away from the polls. The reason for separatists boycott was that centre uses elections to prove that Kashmir is not disputed and people have full faith in the democratic system of the country. Local polls too used to be on the radar of separatists who used to go to town asking people to stay away from the polls.
Come 2019, centre has toughened the stand against the separatists. From banning Jamaat-e-Islami and JKLF to arresting hundreds of leaders and workers including Yasin Malik to confiscating properties in terror financing cases, the centre has hit the separatists where it hurts more.
"There is a tremendous pressure on us. Most of the leaders are in jails. Those out are counting their days. They too do not know when they will be arrested or when they will be summoned for questioning. In such situation if anyone starts election boycott campaign, he will be directly into the crosshairs of the centre. Therefore we have decided to keep low profile and not launch any election boycott campaign this time round", said a senior separatist leader preferring anonymity.
Six Lok Sabha seats of Jammu and Kashmir will go to polls in five phases. Baramulla and Jammu constituencies will go to polls in the first phase on April 11. Srinagar and Udhampur constituencies will go to polls in the second phase. Sensitive Anantnag constituency will go to polls in third, fourth and fifth phases given the precarious security situation in the south Kashmir region. Ladakh constituency of cold desert will go to polls in fifth phase
Separatists have been campaigning hard against the elections since 1996 when political process started after violent phase of terrorism.