Modi skips election in Indian-occupied Kashmir as critics dispute integration claims

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is criss-crossing the country in a marathon election campaign but, for the first time since 1996, his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not contesting in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK), where a 35-year freedom movement against New Delhi’s rule has killed tens of thousands of people.

Instead, the main contenders for the three seats in the Muslim-majority region are powerful local parties, the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). They will...