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| PDP likely to emerge single largest party | | Another hung house in offing | | Bashir Assad
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Nov 22 : Even as the political leadership - both National and regional - including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President, Sonia Ghandi are making desperate attempts to woo the electorate in Jammu and Kashmir, opinion polls have suggested that no party will be able to secure a majority. However, the opposition PDP is said to be better placed than the rest to emerge as the single largest party. The Prime Minister today addressed a massive rally at Kishtwar, hoping to make electoral inroads in Kashmir. But it is the PDP which has made the election battle in Chenab region an interesting game. Analysts are of the opinion that in least two assembly segments viz Bhaderwah and Banihal, PDP is better placed than other parties. Political watchers say the ruling National Conference and Congress are facing a tough challenge from BJP and PDP in the region. It is felt that in Banihal, PDP has a direct contest with Congress while in Bhaderwah there is a straight contest between PDP and BJP. In Doda the contest is between Congress and BJP, while in Kishtwar there is a neck-to neck fight between NC and BJP. Similarly Ramban constituency is likely to witness a nail-biting contest between BJP and Congress. According to observers, the Chenab region is all set to throw surprises and may change the dynamics of state politics. As of now it is very clear that NC is fighting this battle with its back to the wall. Having broken off the alliance with the Congress and faced with desertions, Omar Abdullah has limited options to prevent the rise of PDP. The Congress too has limited hopes because it is facing a strong anti-incumbency in Jammu region but may end up as a deal maker in any future government. Realizing that the electoral battle is going to be very tough for both of the coalition partners, NC and Congress have clandestinely started a malign campaign against their opponents, particularly in Kashmir valley and Chenab region. For the fear of defeat in Badherwah and Banihal at the hands of PDP, the coalition government is trying to implicate the PDP candidates in false cases through their agents. Sources said that it was at the behest of a senior Congress leader who is very close to former chief minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad that a complaint was lodged by some person against the PDP candidate for Bhaderwah, Mehboob Iqbal in State Vigilance Commission, in a bid to tarnish his public image. So much so, sources said, Mehboob Iqbal's relative who is a serving senior official was also implicated on politically motivated grounds. Pertinently not a single complaint of corruption or misuse of official position has come to the fore during the service career of the senior engineer which is spread over 35 years.
Sources said though the charges leveled against the duo cannot be proved, this was a desperate attempt to crush Iqbal morally ahead of the elections. Earlier, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah had stooped low by attacking some prominent PDP candidates from the valley. It was only after strong protest from certain quarters, particularly the trade union and government employee's leaders, that Omar stopped attacking these candidates in his public rallies. Meanwhile, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has reportedly started talks with PDP patron Mufti Muhammad Sayed for realignment. With there being no possibility of the Congress supporting the BJP and the NC supporting the PDP, their obvious choices could be the PDP and the BJP respectively. Azad has reportedly held talks with Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, which suggests realignment.
Also, the National Conference is reportedly coming closer to the BJP, once again. It is known that in Jammu region, BJP is riding on the Modi wave. Though the party has decided to soft peddle its strong views supporting the abolition of Article 370 of the Constitution which gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir, the issue remains at the centre of the political debate in the state. PDP patron Mufti Sayeed has dubbed the elections as a "defining moment" in the endeavor to "safeguard" the distinct Constitutional position of the state. This time Mufti has recalibrated the party's campaign to be aggressive on economic development, good governance and redressal of grievances related to regional imbalances. . The National Conference, after six years in power, has much to explain for its poor performance on these fronts, especially when it had a friendly UPA dispensation at the Centre. The PDP sees the upcoming polls as a real opportunity to occupy the central place in state's politics, especially in the valley. Undoubtedly, the party enjoys people's support, especially in South Kashmir. With opinion polls predicting its emergence as the single largest party, the PDP is leaving nothing to chance this time. Party leaders have been strongly pitching the need to save the constitutional status of the state. Importantly, the party is watching with trepidation the rise of BJP, with party leaders saying that there is 'Mufti wave' and not 'Modi wave' in the state. |
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