by Sajid Raina
SRINAGAR: Jammu Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), the daddy of Kashmir politics is facing the music for the choice of its candidates in the fast-approaching Lok Sabha elections. Peoples Conference has dubbed Omar Abdullah “a tourist” in Baramulla and a senior PDP leader said the party has fielded “internally displaced” politicians.
“I was expecting a Kashmiri political leader to contest elections from north Kashmir’s Baramulla; however, there is a tourist who has come forward to contest polls,” Sajad Lone, who is contesting from Baramulla, has told reporters. “We are tourist-friendly people, and let him fight elections there.”
Lone is pitted against Omar in the north Kashmir constituency. He said he was disappointed that a non-voter from the constituency was contesting against him.
Reports appearing in the media suggest that there were two stakeholders for the mandate within JKNC – Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan and Mir Saifullah. In a bid to prevent factionalism within the party, Omar was eventually asked to contest. This reportedly irked one section of the supporters.
Omar Abdullah, interestingly, does not have a fixed constituency for himself, unlike his father and grandfather. In the last three assembly elevations, he contested from Ganderbal, Srinagar and Budgam. For Lok Sabha elections, he now moved to Baramulla.
However, the party is facing music in all the three Lok Sabha constituencies from the opposition. PDP leader, Naeem Akhter said the grand old party has fielded “internally displaced’ politicians unlike the 2019.
“The party has fielded Mian Altaf in South Kashmir, who is a resident from Kangan and a voter in the Srinagar constituency,” Akhter said. “In Srinagar, they have fielded Agha Ruhullah, who is a voter in the Baramulla constituency and in Baramulla, they have fielded a voter from the Srinagar constituency.”
Though the law does not prevent any Indian citizen from contesting polls anywhere the local factor has its advantages. In the last Lok Sabha, JKNC represented Baramulla with Mohammad Akbar Lone, Srinagar with Dr Farooq Abdullah and South Kashmir with Husnain Masoodi, all voters from the respective constituencies.
This time, however, the delimitation created its crisis. The inclusion of Anantnag with Rajouri Poonch changed the complexion of the Pirt Panchal constituency forcing JKNC to get the most respected Gujjar leader to the belt. Other issues triggered other tensions for the party. PDP, however, has fielded Mehbooba Mufti from Pir Panchal, Fayaz Mir in Baramulla and Waheed Parra for Srinagar. They all are listed as voters in the respective constituencies.
Whether or not the choice of candidates will matter, will only be seen once the areas go to polls. However, the opposition has got an axe to grind during the campaigning.
