In J&K’s Pir Panjal valley, BJP’s biggest bet will be put to test
The BJP banks on support of Paharis, Bakerwals and Gujjars, the three dominant communities in the Pir Panjal valley. It hopes to exploit the historical fault lines between these linguistic groups and the Kashmiri-speaking population. The grant of ST status to Paharis and inclusion of leaders of the other communities in its ranks bolsters its hope.