Visibility getting clear

The visibility regarding the strategies of political parties regarding parliamentary polls is getting clear now with every passing day. Senior leaders are themselves unfolding their plans to mentally prepare their partymen and supporters as to how their parties are going to operate in the electoral arena.

National Conference (NC), Congress and BJP are busy making preparations for all the five Lok Sabha constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir and one in Ladakh. The other parties are also engaged in similar kind of activities in their respective strongholds.

Going by the preparations by the leaders to motivate their workers and supporters to come out and vote for them on the polling day, it seems that the parliamentary elections can have high poll percentage this time compared to previous polls. Usually the parliament elections have lesser poll percentage than assembly polls. It is to be seen how much the voters will get motivated to vote and for whom.

This is the first parliament election after the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile J&K state into two union territories. Political observers say that it will be interesting to watch how the voters will respond in elections to the changes made so far not only in Jammu and Kashmir but Ladakh as well.

NC leaders say they are fully geared up for polls despite the emerging seen and unseen challenges being thrown to their party. According to them, some challenges are expected and some unexpected but being the premier political party, NC would overcome the hurdles and win Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag-Rajouri- Poonch seats.

Former Chief Minister and National Conference  Vice President Omar Abdullah recently, indirectly announced that his party will contest from Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag - Rajouri- Poonch constituencies. Regarding the Jammu and Udhampur seats in Jammu region, he said talks can be held with Congress on seat sharing. He made similar comment about the Ladakh Lok Sabha seat.

All the three seats Jammu, Udhampur and Ladakh were won by BJP in 2019 parliamentary polls, while Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag were bagged by National Conference ( NC). There is not any significant headway in seat sharing among the NC, PDP and Congress, which are part of the Congress led opposition parties’ Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) on national level. Finally the three parties may not go for any seat sharing and contest solo.

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee ( JKPCC) President Vikar Rasool Wani said his party is busy with preparations in all five constituencies in J&K and one in Ladakh. Talking to media, he said his party is also making efforts so that Congress, NC and PDP contest jointly. Reports say that JKPCC has forwarded a list of a number of leaders to Congress high command in New Delhi. The candidates will be selected from the list.  Till the final selection of the candidates, the suspense will continue.

Suspense will also continue regarding the candidates of other parties. The parties have not yet opened their cards. But it is very much clear that either Dr Farooq Abdullah or Omar Abdullah will contest from Srinagar. Regarding other  candidates of party nothing is known. Same is the case with PDP even as the party leaders and workers are in support of their president Mehbooba Mufti contesting from Anantnag - Rajouri- Poonch constituency.

However, Mehbooba, who has gone to Saudi Arabia for performing “ Umrah” is yet to take a call. Or will the party Muzzaffar Hussan Baig, who reconciled with party leadership will be fielded from Anantnag- Rajouri- Poonch.

BJP has been more active since last year in Jammu as well as in Kashmir. This amid the reports that Congress has been able to make some inroads in Jammu. However, such an edge may not last till polls in view of the weakening position of Congress at the national level and  its worsening relations with its allies. The allies rather than aligning with it are slowly moving away.

The scenario at national level can affect negatively on Congress interests in Jammu also at election time even as some of its leaders had worked very hard to get back some of the lost political space there. Congress leaders say that BJP is trying to create a perception that it and its allies will get more than 400 seats in the country but polls will deflate their balloon.”

BJP will have a taste of what they are doing with common people by adding to their problems like inflation and unemployment. Their candidates  will have to face the music from the electorate despite their false poll projections,” Congress leaders claim.

BJP has not yet announced its candidates for parliamentary polls in J&K. It will be very interesting to watch who its candidate can be for the Anantnag- Rajouri-Poonch constituency. This is so since the central government  has finally granted the scheduled tribe status to Paharis, who are in good number in the constituency.

J&K BJP President Ravinder Raina has again started his political activities in south Kashmir. He held series of party and public meetings recently during which he appealed the people to vote for his party. Can he be the BJP’s candidate for the Anantnag- Rajouri- Poonch constituency? Very interesting situation has developed in constituency after it was re- shaped during the delimitation exercise.

The constituency has been re-designed after merging several parts of erstwhile Anantnag constituency with parts of Rajouri and Poonch districts, which were earlier part of Jammu Lok Sabha constituency. Some time back there were reports that NC and PDP too may field candidates from Gujjar and Bakerwal and Pahari communities in the constituency but such reports have not been confirmed yet by the two parties.

Former NC MLC Shehnaz Ganai recently joined BJP. Prior to her joining, she had hailed granting of ST status to Paharis. BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh said that more such political leaders would join BJP in coming week. He stated that NC is on the verge of collapse and extinction. However, NC leaders said that Ganai was not associated with their party since 2019. She had contested the district development council election in 2020 but was defeated by the NC candidate, they added.

People’s Conference President Sajad Gani Lone has been holding series of party meetings in north Kashmir during which people from different walks of life are joining his party. He has not yet made his intentions clear whether he would contest from Baramulla parliamentary constituency or not.

Same is the case with Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari even as some months back there were reports of he too contesting. Since Lone and Bukhari recently met and agreed for pre- poll alliance.  May be one of them contests. Almost all senior leaders from all parties would like to join the electoral fray  and win but there are limited seats and limited chances. 

Author is senior editor, Greater Kashmir