Six years ago, on August 5, 2019, Article 370 was read down, the special status of Jammu & Kashmir revoked, and the state bifurcated into the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh. Now, in 2025, it’s déjà vu—only this time, it’s not about taking powers away but potentially restoring some.
In the corridors of power, where silence often speaks louder than words, a string of high-level meetings on Monday turned every head. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah called on President Droupadi Murmu separately. Shah then held a closed-door strategy meeting with NSA Ajit Doval, IB chief Tapan Deka, and Home Secretary Govind Mohan—all within the Parliament precincts. Officially, it was business as usual. Unofficially? A monsoon of whispers.
Omar Abdullah Weighs In—And Shrugs It Off
While political pundits scrambled to decode the sudden activity, former J&K CM Omar Abdullah took to X to cool the hype:
“I’ve heard every possible permutation & combination about what to expect in J&K tomorrow… fortunately nothing bad will happen, but unfortunately nothing positive will happen either.”
Translation: Everyone relax.
Also Read—‘Just a Gut Feeling’: Omar Abdullah Hints at Major Development in Jammu & Kashmir Tomorrow
Old Promise, New Timing?
To be fair, both PM Modi and HM Amit Shah have, in the past, stated that statehood will be restored, but only when the time is right. Is that “right time” finally here?
A senior BJP leader, unwilling to go on record, hinted that August 5 carries historical significance, not just for the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, but also for the foundation laying of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya in 2020. In a government that loves its dates and symbolism, another big-ticket announcement wouldn’t be out of sync.
Vice-Presidential Election and a ‘Not-So-Routine’ Visit?
Amid all this, the Centre is also preparing for the Vice Presidential election scheduled for September 9, following Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation. Some believe that the visits to the President were more about briefing her on this front. After all, the PM is expected to address the NDA Parliamentary Party on Tuesday, another fuel log to the already burning speculation fire.
Also on the cards: talks to finalize the BJP’s new national president, since JP Nadda’s term extension expired in June. But here too, the party seems to be in no rush.
Election Watch, Alliance Math, and the Usual Guesswork
The BJP is reportedly reaching out to allies like the TDP and JD(U) to build consensus on its VP nominee. But as with most political suspense thrillers, no names have been confirmed, and insiders insist that the nominee is unlikely to be a sitting MP or Governor.
Meanwhile, speculation about the restoration of statehood is interwoven with calculations about the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls. The ruling party might want to score a symbolic win in J&K before another big electoral fight.
Tuesday, August 5, is expected to bring some clarity—or, at the very least, more speculation. Will Jammu and Kashmir finally inch back toward statehood? Will the Centre deliver a symbolic gesture? Or will this be just another day of high-decibel political guesswork?
For now, the nation watches… and waits.
