Srinagar: While Kashmir is presently bidding a pleasant adieu to not that harsh winter this time, the frozen political scenario in J&K has seemingly begun to defreeze with the arrival of senior Kashmir based leaders in Jammu and their activities.
The political activities are likely to gain momentum not only in Jammu but in Kashmir also in coming weeks and months because 2022 is being generally considered as an assembly election year in the Union Territory.
The political leaders in Kashmir separately moved to Jammu and remained engaged in re-engaging with their respective party workers and supporters.
Reports indicate that active presence of National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah, PCC chief G A Mir, Apni Party president Syed Muhammad Altaf Bukhari, and some PDP leaders and their statements brought life back to some extent to otherwise almost lifeless politics. Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad’ s four day visit-though private- is also likely to give a fillip to political activities.
He is there to attend the marriage of the son of a Congress leader. However, Azad sharing on social networking site a picture of party leaders welcoming him at the airport on his arrival from New Delhi reflects that the visit can go beyond private engagements. He is visiting Jammu for the first time after being awarded Padma Bushan.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti today addressed a function organised by her party at Surankote in Poonch.
The Jammu based parties are also likely to gear up shortly and get ready for extensive political maneuvering much ahead of expected assembly polls. They would try to corner the rival parties on important issues.
As per reports, among all the Kashmiri leaders, the activities and statements of Dr Farooq Abdullah in Jammu got more coverage and attention for obvious reasons.
He addressed a series of party workers meetings, welcomed new entrants to the party fold and also held interaction with leaders of the NC’s students wing. The former chief minister also travelled to Reasi and held deliberations with party men. According to reports, NC president alleged that the central government did not keep its promises of development and employment generation in Jammu and Kashmir. He also raised several problems and issues being faced by the people of Jammu. NC president criticised the interim report of the Delimitation Commission.
During his interactions, the NC president urged the party workers to increase their public outreach and get ready for meeting the “challenge , Jammu and Kashmir is facing.” He expressed optimism that his party will finally emerge victorious in the assembly polls and form the government. NC president said he will not rest and will ensure that his party overcomes all problems and re-emerges on the political horizon of Jammu and Kashmir again in a big way.
Prior to Dr Abdullah’s visit, several NC leaders visited Jammu and participated in party related activities. Jammu region also witnessed the activities of PCC chief G A Mir and Apni Party president Syed Altaf Bukhari.
Mir took part in a Congress’s signature campaign in Ramban and also addressed a press conference in Jammu. Besides hitting at BJP and Centre on Delimitation Commission draft proposals , his main focus also seemed on highlighting the “unresolved issues and problems of masses in Jammu.”
During his interaction with media persons, Altaf Bukhari sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in Delimitation Commission related issue. He targeted NC for its “poor response” to the interim report of the Commission. Bukhari viewed that NC MPs did not deal with the Delimitation Commission the way they should have. He also criticised BJP MPs. Bukhari alleged that the members of parliament of both the parties tried to serve their own party interests rather than the interests of people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, senior leader, who had recently resigned from the post of general secretary of PDP, also announced his comeback while in Jammu. Lone said he is back as general secretary and member political affairs committee since party president Mehbooba Mufti did not accept his resignation and that all the differences were sorted out amicably. He also threw light on some political issues including PAGD’s next meeting in Srinagar on February 26 on delimitation issue.