A spark that had ignited many hopes in Kashmir seems to be on the verge of death. After many speculations when the former IAS officer turned politician Shah Faesal formally launched his Jammu Kashmir Peoples Movement, the development had attracted a lot of attention, not just among Kashmir watchers but even the media where the ‘poster boy’ of ‘change’ in Kashmir got a lot of coverage. Many journalists, policymakers and writers appreciated Faesal for taking the ‘bold step’ of opting out of a comfortable life of a bureaucrat and striving to work for the larger good of people by joining politics. In his many interviews in print and broadcast media, Faesal spelled his vision for the party which promised corruption-free governance and a ‘new era’ of peace and prosperity in Kashmir. While the former bureaucrat and party chief held rallies, focusing on his native north Kashmir areas where he also made a tactical alliance with the firebrand lawmaker Engineer Rashid, the foot soldiers of the party trended #AbHawaBadlegi on Twitter and a lot of noise was generated on the social media about the ‘change’ that was about to sweep Kashmir. Rashid was followed by the former Chadoora lawmaker Javaid Mir joined forces with Faesal and it seems that the party was going from strength to strength. The idea of a ‘common front’ against the ‘enemies of Kashmir’ immediately struck chords among the people who feel betrayed at the hands of the regional mainstream parties like National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party over the past seventy years of social, political and economic uncertainty. After all, here was a man, who had given up the material pleasures of a plum job and opted for the difficult path of ‘restoring the dignity’ of his people. But the August 5 move by the Centre seems to have changed his mind and the castle of change promised by Faesal and Co seems to be crumbling. Cracks have appeared after the former student leader and JKPM leader Shehla Rashid announced on October 9 that she was quitting politics over the decision of the Centre to go ahead with the Block Development Council polls in J&K at a time when the entire regional mainstream leaders have been arrested. Reports suggest that the JKPM chief is also contemplating to quit politics and he may move abroad along with his family. What happens to the rest of the party is not known. Regardless, the likely premature death of the idea of ‘change’ in Kashmir will cast a long shadow on electoral politics in J&K.