Looking to defend the Communist Party of India (Marxist) bastion of Kulgam, which he has won since 1996, Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami is now facing a very different challenge in the form of a candidate backed by the Jamaat-e-Islami.
Speaking exclusively to NDTV on Tuesday, Mr Tarigami said this is not the first time the Jamaat has made a U-turn in terms of entering electoral politics and insisted that there is no "green wave" in the red citadel.