New Delhi: The state of Jammu and Kashmir goes to polls over the next two months, with the first phase of polling due on November 17. The state has been under Governor's Rule since July 7 when then chief minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad tendered his resignation.
In June 2008, Azad's government was reduced to minority after PDP withdrew its support over the land transfer row to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. The withdrawal of support followed a state government order to transfer 39 hectares of forestland to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, leading to violent protests in the Kashmir Valley.
The Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti spearheaded the agitation in the Jammu region when the order was revoked on July 1. The agitation led to the deaths of 45 people in the state.
The term of the state government was to expire on November 2, but the government fell on July 7 after Azad resigned, deciding not to face a floor test.
The Azad government - a coalition of the Congress and the PDP - came to power in 2002, defeating the ruling National Conference which had been in power for more than two decades.
The 2002 Assmebly elections were held in four phases in September and October 2002 and witnessed an average voter turnout of about 44 per cent, despite the violence during the run-up to the polls and the increased threat of violence during the actual polling.
The National Conference - which had 57 seats in the 1996 assembly - managed to retain only 18 seats in the 2002 elections and was voted out by popular mandate.
The Congress and the People's Democratic Party, which won 16 seats in the Kashmir Valley, brokered a power-sharing deal and alongwith independent candidates and the support of smaller parties, formed a coalition government in the state.
Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad was appointed Chief Minister of the state then. The Congress had 21 members in the 87-member strong Assembly and was backed by two CPM MLAs and eight Independents. The PDP had 18 MLAs and its support was crucial for running the government.
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