ElectionCommission of India has disappointed the mainstream parties in Jammu andKashmir by not announcing the assembly polls. These parties have not given uphope yet and are making attempts to drive home a point that there is no harm inholding LA polls along with the parliamentary elections.
Vice-presidentof National Conference and the former chief minister Omar Abdullah isspearheading the campaign to tell New Delhi that people of Jammu and Kashmirshould be allowed to exercise their democratic right.
NationalConference is aware about the fact that at this point of time party has got anupper hand and if the assembly polls are held along with the Lok Sabhaelections it would help party regain the ground it had lost in 2014. NationalConference seems focused on regaining power. Peoples Democratic Party on theother hand seems happy about polls being delayed as it has provided the partywith a chance to regroup and reach out to the people.
NationalConference and PDP boycotted the urban local bodies and panchayat polls whichwere held last year. Governor Satya Pal Malik had tried his best to convincethe leaders of both the parties to come forward and take part in theseelections. However, his (Governor’s) magic didn’t work.
Soonafter the ULB and panchayat polls ended both the parties (NC and PDP) realizedthat they have lost control over the local bodies and staying away from theseelections was not a wise decision. NC and PDP staying away provided a chance toCongress, BJP and Peoples Conference to project new faces as the future leadersof Kashmir.
Afterthese polls were held NC, PDP and Congress tried coming together and form agovernment in Jammu and Kashmir but their attempt was thwarted as GovernorMalik dissolved the assembly. He didn’t entertain the claims of PDP chiefMehbooba Mufti and the Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Lone to form thedispensation in the state.
Afterthe assembly was dissolved, NC declared that it would contest the polls on itsown and it has got nothing to do with the PDP. Since the day Assembly has beendissolved National Conference has been making preparations for the polls. Theparty is hoping that it would emerge as the single largest party in the statebut New Delhi seems least interested in allowing NC to make a comeback. Itseems that Government of India wants to maintain the status-quo in Jammu andKashmir at least till the Lok Sabha elections are held.
NationalConference is aware of the fact that if BJP returns to power at the Centre thenit would be difficult for the party to come into power in Jammu and Kashmir.Assembly elections being deferred in J&K seem to be a part of a bigger planto have new leaders and faces at place in Kashmir. New Delhi wants to changethe narrative and political discourse to make all the Kashmiri leaders fall inline. Since the day BJP has pulled out from the PDP led government in J&K,New Delhi has been making every possible attempt to have alternatives at place.Omar Abdullah has realized that if BJP returns to power, political dimensionsin J&K would change drastically and he won’t be the only leader, and thereis every possibility about many leaders appearing on the political arena of thestate.
Omaris making last ditch attempts to somehow make New Delhi agree to his demand.Before the Lok Sabha polls were announced, Omar had said that holding assemblyelections in J&K on time is the “biggest test” for the Prime MinisterNarendra Modi. It is clear that PM Modi ignored Omar’s advice and allowed ECIto take a final call.
Many people believe that New Delhi is punishing Kashmiri politicians for staying away from ULB and panchayat polls as the participation of both NC and PDP would have made the entire exercise more credible.
New Delhi has invested a lot on PDP and NC especially during the past thirty years. Ignoring both these parties at this point of time seems to be signal to NC and PDP that they cannot dictate terms and they would have to follow what they are told. And if they continue to defy the “diktats” both these parties could be turned irrelevant and new people would be given a chance. Last nine months have made it amply clear that power centre lies in New Delhi and Kashmiri politicians cannot cross the line which the people sitting in the national capital have drawn.
(JavaidMalik is Senior Editor Greater Kashmir)