In 1974 Indira Gandhi reached an agreement with Sheikh Abdullah and he became the Chief Minister of the State. He revived the National Conference which was elected with majority in the assembly elections held in 1977. Sheikh Abdullah died in 1982 and the leadership of the National Conference went to his son, Farooq Abdullah, who became the Chief Minister. But he soon was dismissed by the Governor and a breakaway faction of the National Conference came to power for a brief period. The dismissal of Farooq Abdullah’s government due to the intervention of the Centre generated a feeling of resentment in Kashmir. The confidence that Kashmiris had developed in the democratic processes after the accord between Indira Gandhi and Sheikh Abdullah, received a setback. The feeling that the Centre was intervening in politics of the State was further strengthened when the National Conference in 1986 agreed to have an electoral alliance with the Congress, the ruling party in the Centre.

Why were the results of the 1987 Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir disputed?

Due to allegations of a rigged election process

It was widely believed that the results did not reflect popular choice and the election process was rigged.

The assembly election of 1987 unfolded amusing results. Official results showcased a significant triumph for the National Conference-Congress alliance, reinstating Farooq Abdullah as Chief Minister. Yet, the widespread belief persisted that the election outcomes did not truly reflect the people's choice, alleging the election process to be riddled with manipulation. Simultaneously, growing public resentment against ineffective governance since the early 1980s coupled with the perception that democratic processes were eroding under state and central influences led to a burgeoning political crisis in Kashmir. This crisis escalated considerably with the ascent of insurgency.