by Hilal Shah

KUPWARA: For the first of the eight-phase District Development Council (DDC) elections, massive deployment of security forces has taken place. There are 145 candidates contesting for 90 seats in the first phase

Bilqees Cheetah and Rabia Quyoom

In Kupwara three micro-constituencies are going for DDC elections viz Kalaroos, Kralpora and Tangdar. It includes all the hilly and border areas of the district including Karnah, Keran, Machil, Jumgund and Kumkadi.

There are 29 candidates in fray in these 3 DDC constituencies which include 6 candidates in Kalaroos constituency, 10 in Kralpora and 13 candidates from Tangdar constituency. Among these 29 candidates, three each are from BJP, Apni Party and one each from each PDP, PC, NC and INC besides 19 independent candidates.

Abdul Rashid Gojar of PDP has been given a mandate by PAGD from Kalaroos constituency. Rashid 45 is matric pass, a resident of Nagsari Kalaroos, has survived half of his age in politics. He had been a Sarpanch of his village for five years and his wife is a BDC of his block. Now he was a Panch of his village.

Abdul Rashid Gojar from Kalaroos

“I am contesting in this election to redress the problems of people which have never met by any leader so for, importantly the Machil area which is known as for the flung area of our constituency has been always underestimated,” Bashir said. “If the people of other backward villages are being settled in other areas then why not provided the same facility to residents of Machill”.

Sadeeqa Begum from Tangdar has got a mandate from BJP for Tangdar constituency. “Our family does not have any political background, my father was in the Indian army and is now expired,” Sadeeqa said. “I was a worker of BJP from past many years, our area is a far-flung area and has been facing many issues from decades, being a border area, our area remains more violent”.

“In winters, due to snowfall the road gets disconnect for weeks which adds to our woes, I want to eliminate these issues and want to develop our village in every phase”.

Bilqees Cheeta, 24 is another candidate contesting from Kralpora constituency as an independent candidate. “I have not any political background, but sufferings of people in our village force me to do something for a better life and I think it is time to do something,” Bilqeesa said. “I will not guarantee that I will do everything but if they will vote me I will do all which is possible”.

She is the daughter of Deen Mohammad Cheetah who has been in the tribal politics for a long time.

Sherzaman Khan has got a mandate from BJP for Kalaroos constituency. Khan has been in politics for many years.

Sherzaman Khan Kalaroos

“I was very young when I joined politics and it was PDP but due to some clash Adul Haq Khan MLA of the Lolab constituency then I left the party and joined with PC”, says Sherzaman. “I found there the poor class of our society is being ignored, their woes are not redressed and at the same time I found the BJP working for the wellbeing of the society later I joined with the BJP”. Sherzaman believes that the leaders of the past has always ignored us and filled their own pockets.

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