Fighting his “last” election, Farooq Abdullah is facing challenge from political greenhorns on prestigious Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency which goes to polls on April 18.
While PDP’s Aga Syed Mohsin has struggled on Valley’spolitical landscape after making his debut over a decade ago, PeoplesConference’s Irfan Raza Ansari and BJP’s Khalid Jehnagir are contesting theirmaiden electoral battles.
At 83, Abdullah has, however, dominated the poll campaigningin the central Kashmir seat with his
high pitch statements, scathing attacks on Prime MinisterNarendra Modi over his alleged “politics of division” and taking on hisregional political opponents, PDP and PC, for “making way for BJP’s entry intoKashmir”.
In his political career spanning over four decades, Abdullahhas lost only once when Tariq Hameed Karra (then with PDP) proved to be thegiant-slayer, defeating the senior Abdullah from Srinagar, considered to beNC’s bastion, in 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
When Karra resigned from the PDP and Parliament in 2016,over civilian killings, necessitating by-elections to the seat, Abdullahwrested control of the constituency, but the election was marred by civiliankillings and low voting of 7 per cent.
This election, Abdullah, the three-time chief minister, andthree-time Lok Sabha member, would be fancying his chances for the fourth win,from the seat, spread over three districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal.
While it remains to be seen whether the contest would proveto be another low-turnout affair, like the previous one, the parties would bebanking on support from pockets which have history of high voter turnout suchas Ganderbal and Kangan assembly segments, peripheries of Srinagar, andsegments of Budgam, including Char.
In the last state election, the NC was nearly routed fromSrinagar by PDP, but today factors like anti-incumbency and two years ofcivilian unrest has dented credibility of the PDP that was shaken by rebellionlast year. In absence of a potential alternative, NC might walk away with anedge.
Also, the rebellion saw influential Shia leader Imran RazaAnsari, and his uncle Abid Ansari, leaving PDP to join PC, making the challengetougher for the PDP. Later, another senior leader Javaid Mustafa Mir quit theparty and it was followed by expulsion of Altaf Bukhari from the PDP. Bukharihas announced support to Abdullah while Mir has joined Shah Faesal, givingfurther dent to PDP’s poll arithmetic.
Mohsin joined the PDP in 2017, after starting his politicalcareer with Congress and contested 2008 Assembly elections from Hazratbal seat.While he will be banking on Shia vote bank and support from the party, thiselectoral battle is going to be tougher one for him in his more than adecade-long career in politics during which he has struggled on peripheries.
Since 2015, the PC has nurtured pockets of influence inSrinagar and addition of Ansari duo has added to its vote bank. The party wonthe powerful position of the Mayor in bitterly fought Municipal elections inSrinagar. Its candidate Irfan, a novice in politics, has the backing of hiselder brother Imran.
While Ansaris have significant vote bank in pockets ofSrinagar and Budgam districts, the PC led by Sajad Gani Lone has been trying toproject itself as an alternative to NC and PDP, attacking both for dynastypolitics and holding them responsible for contributing to erosion of state’sautonomy.
While Mohsin and Irfan would walk away with their share ofvotes from Shia votebank in Srinagar and Budgam, it remains to be seen how NC’sAga Syed Rouhullah, former minister, would compete with them, particularly inBudgam.
On the other hand, the BJP has almost remained non-existenton the campaigning front. Its candidate, Jehangir, has however managed to hogthe headlines by issuing advertisements and putting up hoardings in greenbackground rather than saffron of BJP.
In his short political career that took off after a selfiewith Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally here in December 2015, Jehnagirhas not much to boast of, except his appointment as vice-chairman JKPCC duringthe previous PDP-BJP government.
While Congress has decided not to contest elections, insupport of Abdullah, there are eight other candidates, independents as well asthose contesting on tickets from outside parties, in the fray. The entireconstituency has a total 12.94 lakh voters, with Srinagar, the stronghold ofseparatists, contributing the major electoral share.
Addressing party workers here last month, Abdullah had saidthis would be his last parliament elections while asking the party to startlooking for a “good candidate” to replace him.