Srinagar/Jammu, June 19 : Polling for the by-election in Anantnag constituency will determine the future of the PDP-BJP coalition Government. If Mehbooba wins the by-poll she will have to rule the state for less than five years and if she loses the poll it will be an end to the coalition Government.
In fact it will be an end to the BJP's game of power sharing in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time. In fact whether Mufti Sayeed or Mehbooba is taken into consideration the two forged an alliance with
the BJP simply to secure liberal funds from the centre where the BJP
has been heading NDA Government. Though PDP's ideology was quite
different from the BJP the alliance was forged simply to ensure
economic development of the state which would end misery of the
people.
Though the results of liberal funding from the central
Government are yet to bear fruit but Mehbooba has drawn up a plan on
ending energy crisis and unemployment. In this connection she has been
trying to secure added private and central Government investment in
the sector of industry so that more job avenues were created and the
state was able to increase exports.
Mehbooba has three things to show toes of Anantnag. One is to
secure vacation of prime land occupied by the Army which would
facilitate expansion of the south campus of Jammu University besides
the Army quitting the Tattoo grounds in Srinagar. She is trying to
reduce the physical presence of the Army in Kashmir. In addition to
this she has succeeded in motivating the centre for setting up banking
facilities for cross-LOC trade and she has a plan to reopen more
crossing points which would promote trade and people to people
contact.
Hence voters have to adopt a cautious attitude while casting
their votes because Mehbooba is being challenged by seven candidates
but the main challenge is from the NC and the Congress
candidates.