Nearly 35% voters exercising their franchise in the firstphase of Lok Sabha polls in north Kashmir is a fair beginning. Whenparliamentary elections were announced in March this year, speculations wererife that no polls would be held for three seats in Kashmir as situation,according to many people, was not conducive for elections.
Just before the general elections were announced, twonuclear neighbours—India and Pakistan—were close to a war and Kashmir was thebattle ground. Had United States not stepped in the war looked inevitable. Atthat point of time no one had even imagined that parliamentary polls would beheld in April and people would attend election rallies, and would also throngpolling booths.
Soon after the threat of war ended, the Election Commissionof India sounded the poll bugle but the ECI decided not to hold Assemblyelections in Jammu and Kashmir. The Valley based parties the NationalConference and the Peoples Democratic Party without putting any pre-conditionsjumped into the fray. The National Conference vice-president, Omar Abdullah,tried his best to persuade the Centre to hold Assembly elections simultaneouslyalong with the Parliamentary polls but Delhi ignored his pleas.
During the past two months National Conference and Peoples Conference led by Sajad Gani Lone organised many rallies in north Kashmir but the PDP led by former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti couldn’t do much to show its strength in north Kashmir.
Former MLA and president of Awami Ithad Party, Er Rasheed, also held many road shows and rallies in Kupwara and Baramulla districts and urged people to send him to the Parliament. He promised them that if they vote for him, he (Er Rasheed) would become their voice in the Parliament. During the last few days of his campaigning he asked the people, who favour poll boycott, to revisit their stand.
Hundreds of people participating in the election ralliestook everyone by surprise as many peoplehad claimed that elections in Kashmir at this point of time won’t attract themasses but they were proven wrong.
The 35% polling in the first phase of elections in Kashmirhas once again proved that everything has not been lost. The 35% is not that big figure but in thegiven circumstances the percentage is acceptable. The Governor’s administrationcan pat its back for people coming out to vote.
Now the focus has shifted to Srinagar constituency from where NC stalwart, Dr Farooq Abdullah, is pitted against PDP’s Aga Mohsin, BJP’s Khalid Jehangir, PC’s Irfan Ansari and others. This is a crucial constituency as the by-elections for this seat in 2017 witnessed large scale violence. The hostility in Srinagar and poor polling percentage led to by-polls in Anantnag parliamentary constituency getting deferred indefinitely. The state government has already made elaborate security arrangements for the elections in Srinagar.
The candidates are gearing up for the battle. The NC president and J&K’s former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah is holding rallies and road shows almost daily and is trying to tell the people that he is the “only choice” for them. The Srinagar parliamentary constituency comprises of Budgam and Ganderbal districts also.
Both these districts in the past have witnessed brisk polling and political parties are aware about this fact. Not many people can predict how Srinagar city would behave. The city comprises of eight assembly segments and during the past years polling percentage in the city has not been that high. But no one at this point of time can predict the mood of voters as the people in north Kashmir have already thrown a surprise.
For, Dr Farooq Abdullah, who is also the sitting MemberParliament, Srinagar constituency is a matter of pride. He knows that hisvictory would boost the morale of his party cadres ahead of the Assembly polls,which are likely to be held after the new government is formed in New Delhi.
The trends in north Kashmir suggest that it could be anyone’s bet. It’s difficult to predict a winner at this point of time. In Srinagar also polling percentage would be the key factor.
More people coming out to vote would mean cut throat competition. Politicians know it very well that winning the Srinagar seat won’t be a cake walk and they have to work very hard in coming days to convince the people to come forward and vote for them.
(Javaid Malik is Senior Editor Greater Kashmir)