Tussle over mandates

Besides campaigning for their candidates, the top leadership of some  major political parties is presently busy in an important task. The task is the firefighting to douse the flames of anger and dissidence within their parties caused by the serious differences over distribution of mandates.

At the same time some other parties, who were facing drought of candidates, are receiving leaders from other parties and they are giving them manadates within no time. Most of the new entrants are desperately in search of the greener pastures. But, they and their new parties know that there is hardly any chance of such candidates winning. So, the parties for their wider participation in assembly polls give them the tickets. In the process they also like to cut the votes of bitter rival parties and make their victory difficult.

The differences over mandates plagued almost every major political party. The protests were visible and invisible also. Subsequently, the firefighting operation was launched by the parties to bring the situation under control, and sort out the differences. Such exercises continue even now. Will these exercises succeed or not? Several parties suffered losses.

A number of angry leaders resigned from their parties and decided to contest as independent candidates. Some others joined other parties with a hope to get a ticket. But several other disgruntled leaders decided not to leave their parties despite nursing the grudge. But will they actually support their parties’ candidates or not on the ground?

Some statements coming from the top level of National Conference (NC) and Congress also indicate that not all is well between the two parties despite a pre-poll alliance. Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) President Tariq Hamid Karra recently said that the pre-poll alliance was formed due to national compulsion and the mood. He observed that otherwise Congress would have fielded candidates in all the 90 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir.

Prior to his statement, NC Vice President Omar Abdullah claimed that his party had to sacrifice several seats, where it was sure about its victory, for Congress in the alliance. Earlier, the “Baber Shers” ( Congress men) of Rahul Gandhi and the leaders of NC, founded by Sher-e- Kashmir, had to friendly fight for six days to finalise the seat sharing arrangement. Differences could not be completely sorted out and the two parties are having now friendly contest in five constituencies.

Even after the seat sharing arrangement, the senior leaders are talking about the sacrifices they had to make or compulsions they had to undergo in alliance. Prior to the finalisation of seat sharing arrangement, Rahul Gandhi had announced in Srinagar that the respect of the Congress cadres would be maintained in the alliance. Reports say that besides Dooru constituency, he is likely to adress an election rally for the Congress candidate at Sangaldan in Banihal constituency also. Former JKPCC Chief Vikar Rasool Wani is contesting from Banihal as Congress candidate. Senior NC leader Sajjad Shaheen is also in the fray in the friendly contest in the same constituency.

Omar Abdullah recently appealed the NC supporters to vote for party candidates wherever they are contesting whether as part of NC-Congress alliance or in a friendly contest. However, he added that any vote to non-BJP parties, who are outside the NC-Congress alliance, is an indirect vote to BJP.  “We have to stop the BJP . Otherwise the scenario will be same here also as is prevailing in the BJP ruled states, “ Omar said.

Sometimes, the non- transfer of votes has been an issue between the parties in a pre-poll alliance. Even Omar Abdullah before the announcement of assembly polls have been referring to this issue. Some other leaders from other parties had also talked about it. It is to be seen whether NC gets all the votes of Congress, and the Congress that of NC in the constituencies, wherever seat sharing has been done by the two parties. Several NC leaders have resigned from the party in protest against denial of party tickets to them and are contesting as independents. Same is the case with some disgruntled PDP and BJP leaders too.

BJP is facing problems of dissidence after some of its senior leaders were sidelined and new faces given the mandate. While some leaders have resigned and contesting as independents, other angry leaders continue to be in the party after persuasion from central leadership in New Delhi. But will their votes as also of their supporters actually go to their party candidates or not is a big question. Same holds true about such leaders from other parties who despite being unhappy continue in their parties.

The departure of some known and some not so known leaders and political workers from their  parties and their joining other parties is being witnessed on large scale these days. Going by the increasing rush, even the parties seem to have lost the track of who deserted them and who joined them. In the process, the waiting senior leaders are ready with garlands almost daily to welcome the new entrants in their parties.

 Author is senior editor, Greater Kashmir