Jammu Tawi, January 14:
Hectic political activities that started in the last two weeks with holding of political meetings,
discussing alliances and reaching out to people marks the preparation for the likely polls in the
coming spring in J&K.
Though NC and PDP leaders Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti (above) want to contest the
elections under the PAGD banner, they are facing opposition from within their parties to fight
separately and take a call on the alliance after the results.
Though NC and PDP leaders Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti want to contest the elections
under the PAGD banner, they are facing opposition from within their parties to fight separately and
take a call on the alliance after the results. (Imran Nissar)
Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir are in poll mode and the recent meetings in Delhi and Jammu
indicate that the Union Territory is headed for assembly elections this summer.
Under central rule for four years and declared a UT since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5,
2019, the demand for holding assembly elections at the earliest has gathered momentum from all
mainstream parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Top BJP leaders held back-to-back meetings in Delhi and Jammu in this regard, including one with
Union home minister Amit Shah in which sources said holding elections and the security situation
was discussed.
A follow-up meeting was held last Thursday. “We have been asked to gear up for elections. We
want to win the maximum number of seats this time,” said a senior BJP leader, requesting
anonymity. “Though our chances are bright, but the leadership is concerned about the resentment
in Jammu over the recent targeted attacks (on Kashmiri Pandits),” said the former BJP legislator.
A silver lining is support from Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari, who has announced his willingness
to ally with the BJP. Bukhari, who will be meeting Shah in this regard, said: “The elections are a few
months away. Our people should have a democratically elected government and I'm confident of
winning in both regions.” His party has been holding rallies both in Jammu and Kashmir to drum up
support.
Bukhari floated the Apni Party in March 2020 and was the first Kashmiri leader to reach out to the
BJP-led central government after the abrogation of Article 370. The outreach was significant since
the National Conference (NC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) opposed the Centre's move.
The BJP leadership hopes for an alliance with Bukhari's Apni Party and Sajjad Lone's People's
Conference besides support from independent candidates to touch the double-digit figure in the
elections. Lone, who was recently elected chairman of the party founded by his late father Abdul
Gani Lone in the '80s, hopes to expand his party's base beyond north Kashmir.
Though he was part of the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), founded in October
2020 to campaign for the restoration of special status for J&K, Lone left the group in 2021 after his
party won 10 District Development Council (DDC) seats in north Kashmir.
The PAGD now comprises the NC, PDP, the CPI(M) and J&K Awami National Conference.
Today, Lone's party holds the Kupwara DDC chairman's post and his main adversary is the National
Conference that has dubbed him to be the BJP's “C team”. For the past year, Lone has been holding
political gatherings in north Kashmir, where his party hopes to get the maximum seats. “We have a
good position in north Kashmir. Our party will be the kingmaker in the next election,” said a PC
leader.
PC spokesman Adnan Ashraf is hopeful that the elections will be held soon. “Though there is
apprehension of a delay, we believe the time has come to restore people's democratic rights,”
Ashraf said.
