The Bahujan Samaj Party led by Mayawati and the YSR Congress Party have backed the Centre’s decision to revoke Article 370, which Home Minister Amit Shah introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Monday amid uproar in the House.

Who supported the move

BSP Rajya Sabha MP Satish Mishra spoke in favour of removing Article 370. The YSRCP, headed by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy, also lent its support to the government in the Upper House.

Opposition criticism

Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad strongly attacked the decision. He said many people, including party leaders and civilians, had given their lives to keep Kashmir with India, and that the country had stood by Kashmir. Saying the party was ready to give up their lives for the Constitution, he condemned what he called an act against it. “Today BJP has murdered the constitution,” Azad said.

National Conference’s position

A day earlier, on Sunday, the National Conference expressed concern over the tense and uncertain situation in Jammu and Kashmir and said it would resist any move to dilute the state’s special constitutional status.

The party’s political affairs committee met for four hours, with vice-president Omar Abdullah in the chair. A spokesperson said afterwards that the party wanted “effective and immediate” steps to restore confidence among Kashmiris and was prepared to go the extra mile to defend Articles 370 and 35A. The leadership unanimously urged the Government of India to clear up the uncertainty in Kashmir and called for a carefully considered response to the situation.

What happened next

Parliament ended Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 on 5-6 August 2019, and the state was reorganised into two union territories.

Originally published on 5 August 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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