SRINAGAR: With changing dynamics of politics in Jammu and Kashmir after delimitation of Assembly constituencies which gave Scheduled Tribe (ST) population nine reserved seats to contest, the major boost will be for the Pahari population who, after getting ST status, can contest on these seats.
Their entry into the reserved seats has been confirmed and now Pahari people can field their candidates on the ST seats and will be having a direct contest with Gujjar and Bakarwal population.
The union government has reserved nine out of 90 Assembly constituencies for ST population which include Gurez (16 on the list) of Bandipora district, Kangan (17) of Ganderbal district, Kokerrnag (42) of Anantnag district Gulabgarh (56) of Reasi district, Rajouri (85), Budhal (86) and Thannamandi (87) of Rajouri district and Surankote (88) and Mendhar (89) of Poonch district.
The majority of ST seats are from Pir Panjal region, where the Gujjar and Bakarwal, and Pahari population are more and have been reserved according to established guidelines. From Kashmir valley only three seats have been reserved for ST population which include one from north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, one from central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district and one from south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Sources said that it has been finalized that the Pahari population, which has been included in ST reserved category, will be allowed to field their candidates on ST reserved seats. “Once the final publication of electoral rolls is done and schedule for the Assembly elections will be announced, it will be made clear that the Pahari population can also field their candidates on ST reserved seats,” said a source.
There may not be any big change on three ST reserved seats in Kashmir valley in terms of Gujjars versus Paharis but on five out of six seats of Jammu region, it will make the contest interesting as it will lead to division of votes on linguistic basis. Already things are being rolled out by the political parties by keeping in mind the percentage of Gujjars and Pahari population on St reserved seats of Rajouri and Poonch districts and candidates will be finalized by keeping in mind the number of voters from both the communities.
“If Pahari people are given the chance to contest on ST reserved seats, it will surely change the dynamics and we will have to work accordingly. There may be more Pahari candidates on ST reserved seats of Rajouri and Poonch districts as compared to Gujjars,” said a leader of the national party, wishing not to be named.
With Paharis inclusion, the ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), which gave ST status to the community, will be having a major stake on these seats where Pahari population is more but on the other hand their bonding with Gujjar population may get hurt as so far ST status was sole prerogative of Gujjar and Bakarwals.(KNO)
