Kashmir furiously debates Modi's rise and rise

"The NC leaders also said his (Modi's) becoming the prime minister will affect the eclectic culture of Kashmir. These are slogans nobody takes seriously in the valley," said Muzaffar Ahmad, a college teacher.

The man on the street does not believe anybody can dilute the special status of the state.

"How can a constitutional guarantee be diluted unless you choose to re-open the entire issue of the state's accession to India?" asked Suhail Ahmad, 34, a lawyer here.

There are some locals who believe that Modi can never do anything to annoy the Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir and in the rest of the country.

"He will have to prove he is not anti-Muslim as his political adversaries claim. How can anyone expect to rule India and be seen as anti-Muslim?" asked Abdul Majid, a retired government employee.

"There are 18 crore (180 million) Muslims in India. It is not the question of just Jammu and Kashmir," Majid, 62, told IANS.