As the pre-election scene in Jammu and Kashmir unfolds itself evoking, National Conference but may help the PDP cut some ice with its voter constituency. The controversy regarding Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) offers yet another opportunity for populist rhetoric that sans conviction. For example, while the National Conference (NC) patron Farooq Abdullah accuses Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for allegedly allowing the SASB to use land meant for use by local Kashmir natives, the PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti has accused Farooq Abdullah for being the first one to have cheated the people of Kashmir on the issue by establishing the Amarnath Shrine Board when he was the Chief Minister with absolute majority.

This is not however, the end of it. The war of words continues with each side knowing very well that they don’t mean what they are saying and the people also knowing that they don’t mean what they are saying. People’s Democratic Party (PDP), for example, raises the hype demanding withdrawal of troops from the Kashmir Valley even as its patriarch Mufti Mohd Sayeed is shrewd enough to know that this will not happen at least for the time being. PDP campaign even as its patron Faraoq Abdullah-once again reiterates that they are very soon coming back to power but while Dr. Abdullah has been making such declarations for the last six years, this time he has gone to the extent of announcing the major decisions that the NC Government will take immediately after coming to power.

Indian National Congress (INC) continues to struggle with its internal factionalism even as its chief Ghulam Nabi Azad struggles to put up a brave face before the media. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continues to falter in getting its act together in Jammu and Kashmir despite the euphoria of its recent victories in some States. The so called separatist camp, on the other hand, is equally on the crossroads. But the most interesting feature of the current scenario is that none of the key play irrespective of whether he belongs to the so called mainstream or so called separatist stream.

While the PDP calls for demilitarization, the party may not go ahead with it if the party patriarch Mufti Sayeed is once again made the Home Minister of India. While National Conference is vehement about autonomy, the party may not pursue it or only cosmetically pursue it if tomorrow the party President becomes the Chief Minister of State or the party patron obtains the mandate to become President of India. Be that as it is, the greatest contribution made by current fluid scenario is that it has helped visibly expose the covert agenda of each political group or political leader presently active on the State's political stage. And interestingly, this applies as such to mainstream politicians as to the separatist politicians. It is now up to the voter to rise to the occasion and use the mandate effectively to call the bluff. The common man is mute, resource less, unheard and yet he knows all even though he may have little choice while exercising his options.