On Tuesday as results started to pour in there were more surprises and shockers than revelations in one of the most closely fought state assembly elections. Team Kashmir Life reports some of the most surprising political heart-breakers that made 2014 elections worth remembering  

Reigning Rana

Bilal Handoo

Devender-Singh-RanaBefore Nagrota (in Jammu province) polled in the final phase on December 20, it was termed as a multi-cornered contest among NC’s Devender Singh Rana, BJP’s first timer Nand Kishore Sharma and others. Three days after, Rana had the last laugh, much to the disbelief of his detractors who were terming BJP’s Sharma as the next MLA —that too: hands down!

In his maiden bid to reach Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Rana won Nagrota by a margin of 4048 votes. He polled 23,678 against his closest rival Nand Kishore who polled 19,630.

Rana is sitting member of the Legislative Council while Nand Kishore is brother of Jugal Kishore (who won Nagrota seat for two consecutive terms in 2002 and 2008 before being elected to Lok Sabha in May 2014). Carved out in 1996, Nagrota was bagged by then NC’s (now BJP’s) Ajat Shatru Singh in the year of its inception.

A trusted lieutenant of Omar Abdullah (and his former political advisor), Rana is promising a “new” development in Nagrota by “pooling” all resources to ensure good roads, dependable water and power supply. Though, he was in the line of BJP’s ‘aggressive and strategic’ poll campaigning, but the NC’s provincial president from Jammu overcame the Modi wave.

Exultant Lal

Bilal Handoo

lal-singhAs the ballot was put to count in Jammu’s Basohli on December 23, a ‘shocker’ (shore up by Modi wave) was slowly unfolding. A Congress rebel who ended up in BJP’s lap this summer was smiling over his victory later that day. For the next six years, Lal Singh is the new MLA of Basohli.

He defeated his nearest rival NC’s Davinder Singh by 17801 vote margin. The place famous for its paintings (Basohli paintings) was Congress bastion till BJP Jagdish Raj Sapolia won it in previous elections.

Singh (former minister and two-time Member of Parliament from Kathua-Udhampur seat) was elected from Basohli in 1996 and 2002. In 1996, he got ticket from Congress and projected himself as young and dynamic leader of Congress. But he was also in limelight for wrong reasons: for his misbehaviour with doctors as Health Minister, his unparliamentarily and abusive language. There are also cases of alleged land grabbing pending against him.

Once a self-proclaimed ‘senapati’ of former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Singh (after being denied Congress ticket for 2014 parliamentary polls) quit Congress. He had his revenge by playing an ‘active role’ in the defeat of G N Azad in 2014 summer polls. Later he joined BJP and secured the party ticket from Basohli.

Omar’s MLA

Saima Rashid

Ashraf-MirDethroning ‘king’ from his home turf requires what they call “gigantic spine”. But PDP’s Sonawar candidate (close to Gupkar), Mohammad Ashraf Mir (45) is too humbled after the feat. Rather than terming it a self-achieved accomplishment, he is candidly terming it peoples’ win.

Mir defeated Omar Abdullah in the battle of ballot by 4783 votes. Hailing from an affluent business family of Athwajan, Mir completed his Masters in business administration before joining politics. His father Abdul Salam Mir is the owner of Mir Construction Co. Pvt. Ltd.

In 2008, he joined PDP for the sake of “helping” his people. In 2009 by-election, he contested against NC’s Yaseen Shah and lagged behind by 42 votes from Sonawar seat. “Shah had a huge support of migrants then,” Mir says, “that led to his victory.”

Early this summer, the contest in Sonawar became interesting after Omar Abdullah decided to contest from the seat after divorcing his family legacy – Ganderbal.

But after Dr Farooq Abdullah’s first political defeat in 2014 Lok Sabha election, PDP projected Mir as a potential contender from Sonawar who aptly cashed the anti-incumbency factor against NC.

Mir was quite confident man before Sonawar went to polls for giving befitting reply to NC, “once for all”. He talked about his ‘marvellous triumph’ beforehand and challenged Omar to win Sonawar.

As the news of his win did rounds, Omar tweeted: “Congratulations to Ashraf Mir for his victory in Sonawar. I wish him and the people all good luck for next years. He is now my local MLA.”

Now fresh from his win, Mir says he will work for “masses” and will focus on flood-affected people.

Chrar Deserts Rather

Safwat Zargar

Rahim-RatherOne of the pre-poll opinions that resonated in the home constituency of former Finance minister and veteran NC leader Abdul Rahim Rather was of high voting percentage favouring PDP. On December 9, Chrar topped in the third phase of elections with more than 82 per cent voting, sealing fate not only of Rather but of PDP’s advocate-turned-politician Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjoora.

Fourteen days later, election results showed legacy betraying Rather. The six-time undefeated MLA Rather, who had allegations of making lavish purchases in foreign countries and giving contracts to his son, suffered his first defeat after 37 years. Out of total 64600 votes polled, multi-millionaire Rather gathered 27682 against Lone’s 32849 votes. Before this, Rather had tasted defeat in 1972 when he fought his first election from Chrar-i-Sharief as an independent.

A law graduate born in Baadipora village of Chrar, Rather was practicing law from 1971 to 1982. It was in the middle of his law career Rather joined National Conference and went to assembly in 1977. Among the closest senior leaders in circle of the top NC leadership, 59-year-old Rather held the post of speaker in the state assembly from September1982 – June 1983. He held the portfolio of Finance minster from 1987 to 1990. Rather was given the portfolio of agriculture and rural development after NC-led-Farooq Abdullah won the majority.

Dooru Shows Door To Mir

Safwat Zargar

G-A-MIROn Tuesday evening when the last round of counting began in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, Congress party’s Dooru candidate and former minister for Tourism, Ghulam Ahmad Mir was hoping for a hat-trick.  He had past behind his optimism, but he was wrong. Congress-dominated Dooru fell in the lap of PDP’s Syed Farooq Ahmad Andrabi by margin of just 161 votes.

The shock was overwhelming for a legislator who managed to secure his massive win in 2008 assembly polls, even after facing serious allegations of involvement in 2006 sex-scandal. Before that, political pundits had predicted the “blow” to Mir’s “image” suicidal for his political career. He proved them wrong.

A native of Damhal in Islamabad district and a Congress loyalist, 55-year-old Mir won his maiden election in 2002. Working as a district youth Congress leader for years, Mir fought his first election unsuccessfully in 1996 on a Congress ticket.

During his tenure as Minister of State for Tourism in PDP-Congress coalition, Mir elevated his position to one of the few lawmakers known for extensive development and employment generation in their constituencies. That dividend paid him well in 2008.  But during the run up to 2014 polls, his opponents adamantly propped up his “past” to lure the electorate.

In fact, many voters in Doru, this time, had decided to vote on the basis of “character.” Final election results on Tuesday revealed there were 161 more voters who thought on that line.

PC Takes OFF

Durdana Bhat

sajad-loneOn December 23, the counting ballot threw one of the biggest surprises from North Kashmir’s Kupwara district where Peoples Conference’s candidate Bashir Ahmad Dar (52) defeated his nearest rival PDP’s Mir Mohammad Fayaz by mere 151 votes. Dar’s maiden success ended the winning streak of the outgoing NC MLA Kupwara Mir Saifullah, who failed to retain the seat for the fourth time.

This is for the second time that NC was dethroned from the Kupwara Constituency. Earlier, the party tasted defeat in 1967 when Congress’s Mohammad Sultan Tantray won the segment. But, since then, Kupwara remained NC bastion winning 9 out of last 11 elections.

Dar polled 24754 against his nearest rival PDP’s Fayaz Ahmad Mir’s 24603 votes. In last polls as well, Fayaz had lost the seat by a margin of 5182 votes against NC’s Mir Saifullah.

PC’s Dar who hails from Jaggerpora area of Handwara is BA LLB (Hons) from University of Kashmir. Other than him, his party chief Sajjad Lone won Handwara seat. While echoing his leader’s vision, Dar says he will work for the betterment of economically deprived people, and will work to bring Kupwara on the tourist map of Kashmir.

The focus of his party, he says, is to ensure massive investments to upgrade tourism and public infrastructure.

Hassan Mir Booted

Saima Bhat

Ghulam-Hassan-MirFor the first time in its political history Gulmarg constituency has slipped out of the hands of both NC and Gulam Hassan Mir. Tuesday’s results showed door to sitting MLA Ghulam Hassan Mir, who despite a number of ‘high-profile scandals’ to his name was enjoying ministerial berth for last 30 years. He was defeated by PDP’s contractor-turned-politician, Muhammad Abbas Wani by 2811 votes.

Hassan Mir, who is the only known face of his Democratic Party (Nationalist), has successfully managed to stay relevant in all sorts of government formations since he joined politics some three decades back. It is believed that Mir’s image suffered huge dent when the news of him trying to topple Omar’s government with the help of Army during 2010 turmoil became public last summer.

On the other hand, locals say the reason PDP’s Abbas Wani managed to sail past both Mir and NC’s Dr Mustafa Kamal was his ability to connect with the voters in a better way. “Mir has selective amnesia. He only favours those close to him. So the change was written on the wall, only he could not read it,” says Tariq Ahmad, a local resident.

Mohammad Ayub, a local of Tangmarg said, “We did not vote for Wani but we voted for PDP whom we think will develop our constituency which otherwise was with a security agent member.”

Gulmarg constituency is celebrating Wani’s victory because of end of a specific political monopoly in Tangmarg.

Dethroning sartaj

Syed Asma

Sartaj-MadniThe 48 year old Amin Bhat representing Indian National Congress took everyone by surprise when he defeated Sartaj Madni representing PDP by a margin of 1511 votes in Devsar.  Madni is a senior PDP leader, a Deputy Speaker State Legislative Assembly and brother-in-law of PDP’s patron Mufti Mohammed Sayeed.

A resident of Lalipora, Malapora in Qazigund, Bhat since last elections has come a long way. He was third runner-up in 2008 elections securing only 10.30% votes but was later elected as an MLC. Sources say that Bhat was elevated to a position of MLC after his supporters gave open threats to the party high-commands of dire consequences.

After passing his higher secondary school exam in 1984, Bhat started doing political activism in his area. Later he joined Indian National Congress and became the president of Jammu and Kashmir Youth Congress. In a way he is a pioneer of starting a trend of youngsters entering into the politics.

Belonging to an apolitical family, Bhat has had an illustrious political career. It is Bhat who encouraged surrendered militants to join political parties and have safer journey. He started the process from his own constituency.

Pertinently, the locals believe that his work as an MLC in last five years and his extra ordinary role as a saviour during recent floods helped him to earn the seat in Devsar.

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