For decades, boycotting elections in Indian-controlled Kashmir was a sign of protest against Indian rule. That may change on Wednesday, when many residents of the Muslim-majority region say they’re willing to use their vote in a local election to deny Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party the power to form an administration in the disputed region.

In the upcoming years, the tourism sector is going to further expand in the valley, which will create a ripple effect for the overall economy of the state, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s top political opponent in India’s volatile Jammu and Kashmir region says restoring power in the hands of the people is a priority if his party wins local elections that begin this week.