In Indian-controlled Kashmir, many people boycotted elections for decades in protest against Indian rule. But in the run-up to the local election beginning Wednesday, many are willing to buck that trend and use their vote to deny Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party the power to form a local government in the disputed region.

Once a powerful force in the region, separatist movement Jamaat-e-Islami’s surprise return to electoral politics after decades of boycotting elections in Kashmir has surprised many. Maroosha Muzaffar

With fresh faces emerging to challenge the traditional political powerhouses, the region’s political dynamics already appear to be changing.