Little poll campaigning for restive Anantnag constituency
As polling dates for parliamentary elections are nearing, campaign activity for the Anantnag seat is still confined to party offices of candidates and government buildings in the four southern Kashmir districts that make the constituency.
The usual buntings and party posters can be seen only aroundgovernment accommodations and offices of the contesting political parties.
Observers attribute the lacklustre scene to the restiveconditions in Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama districts of theparliamentary constituency.
Political parties have so far refrained from holding anycampaign rallies, although a few odd workers’ conventions were held behindclosed doors and in highly fortified Dak Bungalows and Circuit Houses of thedistricts.
The Election Commission of India has decided to hold pollingfor the single constituency in three phases spread between April 23 and May 6.
“It is unheard of in the electoral history of Kashmir that asingle constituency has been divided into three segments,” says a politicalanalyst who wished to remain anonymous.
The restive Anantnag and Kulgam districts will go for pollingon April 23 and 29, while Shopian and Pulwama will vote on May 6.
The Anantnag seat was held by PDP president Mehbooba Muftiin the last Lok Sabha, but it has been vacant since she quit taking up themantle of J&K’s chief minister in April 2016 following her father’s death.
The “unfavourable situation” in south Kashmir forcedcancellation of the by-election for the seat from where Mufti is againcontesting.
Many including former chief minister Omar Abdullah termedthe cancellation as a victory for separatists in Kashmir.
The scenario was reminiscent of 1991, when the ECI couldn’thold elections for any Lok Sabha seat in the state.
Now that authorities have decided to hold parliamentaryelections, campaign activity is nearly invisible except inside the governmenthousing quarters and party offices where workers can be seen camping anddiscussing strategies to appeal voters.
However, politicians say poll activities in the restive areawill pick up once all candidates file nomination papers.
“It has been only two days that our party announced themandate. On Wednesday I am filing my nomination papers after which we willformally launch the campaign,” said Congress party’s state unit chief GA Mir,who is contesting from Anantnag seat.
The National Conference, BJP and Peoples Conference havealso announced their candidates but none have held any major rallies so far.
The NC has fielded retired high court judge Justice HassnainMasoodi. Zafar Chaudhary will be contesting on PC ticket and former MLC SofiYousuf is the BJP candidate.
Some independent candidates are also in the fray.
“Out of 16 assembly constituencies in south Kashmir six havetraditionally been high voter turnout areas, both in assembly and parliamentelections. Political parties are excepting people of these areas to turn up ingood numbers to vote. These include Dooru, Kokernag, Shangus, Pahalgam (inAnantnag district) Devsar and Noorabad-DH Pora (in Kulgam district),” says ananalyst who declined to be named.
“The cadre vote, however, remains the key particularly inareas where polling is expected to be very low.”
There is also disillusionment among many who voted orcampaigned for contestants in the recent past.
“I campaigned for a political party last year promisingpeople that voting for them would mean their basic issues are addressed. But,once they were elected they not only left the people but workers also in thelurch,” said a political worker from Shangus, wishing anonymity.
“As the security scenario deteriorated the politicians nevervisited their constituencies leaving the workers to fend for themselves. So,why should we repeat the mistake?”
Others attribute the dull poll mood in the region toharassment and crackdown against youth ongoing for last three years. “How doyou expect any poll fervour in this atmosphere of uncertainty and fear?” ayouth asked.
