A BJP supporter dances in Jammu outside the party’s state headquarters. (Reuters)

Srinagar, Dec. 28: Communal politics has met with success in both the Kashmir and Jammu regions but appears to have lost the wider battle for the state.

The BJP and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), both of which played the communal card, reaped a bucketful of seats in Jammu and the Valley, respectively. Their performance, however, may not give them any say in government formation with the National Conference and the Congress likely to tie up.

The BJP has improved its tally from one in the previous election to 11 in Jammu, three more than its highest-ever tally of eight in the 1996 polls. The PDP has won 19 in the Valley, three more than the last time, besides opening its account in Jammu by winning two Muslim-majority seats.

The BJP rode the Amarnath agitation in Jammu. “Those who supported the land allotment to the Amarnath shrine board have won,” said Leela Karan Sharma, the former convener of the Shri Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti, which led the agitation in Jammu.

“The BJP supported us and won, and so did Congress leaders Raman Bhalla and Shyam Lal. Ashvini Kumar, an Independent, was at the forefront of our struggle and won. The Panthers Party too supported us and has bagged three seats,” Sharma said.

The land allotment, which triggered an uproar in Kashmir in June, had pushed the PDP to the wall since its forest minister, Qazi Afzal, had facilitated the deal. Under pressure, the party reprimanded Afzal and pulled out of the Congress-led government seeking cancellation of the allotment. When the government worked out a compromise, giving the shrine board temporary land-use rights, the PDP opposed it.

During the poll campaign, the PDP pushed its soft separatist agenda, pressing hard for self-rule. It played the Muslim card by pitting Kashmir against Jammu.

The PDP has made significant gains in Wachi, Shopian, Homeshalibugh, Bijebehara and other south Kashmir seats, considered strongholds of the separatist Jamaat-e-Islami, which supported it.