Rebel groups opposing Indian rule have waged an insurgency along the border controlled by New Delhi since 1989, demanding either independence or merger with Pakistan.
Thousands of soldiers, rebels and civilians have been killed in the conflict in the decades since, including in gunfights between suspected rebels and security forces in the past month.
Violence has subsided since the Indian part of the territory was brought under direct rule five years ago, a move that led to mass arrests of local political leaders and a month-long telecommunications blackout to prevent expected protests. Went.
The Modi government says the revocation of Kashmir's special status has brought “peace and development”, and has consistently claimed the move has the support of Kashmiris.
But for the first time since 1996, his party has not fielded any candidate in the Kashmir Valley and experts say that if it had been so, the BJP would have suffered a crushing defeat.
“They will lose, that's simple,” political analyst and historian Sidiq Wahid told AFP last week.
The BJP has appealed to voters to instead support smaller and newly formed parties that have publicly aligned themselves with Modi's policies.
But voters are expected to support one of the two established Kashmiri political parties seeking to roll back the Modi government's changes.