Anantnag-Rajouri LS seat: Political parties gearing up to take “leap in dark”

Jammu, Mar 25:  Rhetoric apart, the political parties are gearing up to “take a leap in the dark” as far as electoral-battle for newly-carved Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat is concerned.

The constituency will go to polls in the third phase on May 7, 2024.

For public posturing, almost all the mainstream political parties, to be very specific- National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Congress and a new ‘aspirant’ (though not new political player) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are asserting that they are in a better position to score victory, notwithstanding its (constituency’s) “new-fangled political profile”, following delimitation.

The arguments of key players have a varied range. Counter-arguments do persist. Yet even the key-players are fully conscious of the fact that it is certainly not going to be a cake-walk for any of them.

It is because of its “newly acquired cult status”, due to its uncanny fragmentation between Jammu and Kashmir regions, this parliamentary constituency and ensuing tricky poll-battle here is catching eye-balls.

Out of three (self-declared) main stakeholders viz., NC, PDP and Congress, the latter duo, as of now, seems to be “out of electoral race”, as contenders, due to alliance compulsions.

Reason being, the National Conference has already declared that there will be no compromise on three Lok Sabha (LS) seats of Kashmir, including Anantnag-Rajouri constituency (though status following delimitation has completely changed with respect to Anantnag-Rajouri seat). “NC will contest on these three seats and will win. Congress and PDP may decide about the rest of two Jammu seats and one Ladakh seat,” its leadership had announced, right from the beginning.

Sole rationale was – NC in 2019 won all three LS seats from Kashmir.

For Congress, it may not be a worrying issue because it constitutes the core of I.N.D.I.Alliance so it will have to make compromises to keep regional satraps in good humour. But for PDP, it is not an easy situation and hence it has not minced words in sharing its grouse against, what it has chosen to describe as, “NC’s arrogance.”

So far, it has not clearly indicated that it has actually reconciled to the situation keeping in view the larger interest of I.N.D.I.Alliance or it may spring a surprise at an opportune moment by entering the fray for a “friendly contest.”

PDP’s grumbling too has a solid base as erstwhile Anantnag seat (now Anantnag-Rajouri) has been the party's stronghold too. In the past four LS polls, this seat was clinched by PDP and NC for alternate terms.

Congress too had specific pockets of influence. BJP, however, figured nowhere.

Following delimitation, the scenario has changed altogether. Now, it comprises 18 assembly segments, eleven in Kashmir and seven from Rajouri-Poonch in Jammu region.

It is this phenomenon which has brought in its fold several new dimensions viz., Pahari-Gujjar politics; mix of Hindu-Muslim population and Jammu versus Kashmir political angles. This has made another player i.e., BJP, hopeful of expanding its footprints in Kashmir, through “Mughal road.”

A cursory glance reveals that all key players (except BJP), revelling in their past glory, are ready to take a leap in the dark while BJP too is hoping to disturb their calculations, probably over-relying on its “Pahari-Gujjar and KP arithmetic.”

Poll notification for this crucial parliamentary constituency will be issued on April 12; last date for filing nominations will be April 19. Scrutiny of nomination will take place on April 20 while the last date for withdrawal of candidature will be April 22, 2024.