| Coalition divided over municipal elections | | BJP starts groundwork, PDP sleepless | | Hyder Ali
Early Times Report
Srinagar, May 5: The PDP-BJP alliance is divided over holding of much-awaited municipal elections in the state, as the BJP has started massive ground work, giving sleepless nights to PDP.
Since last year, when the twin parties were into first innings of governance, BJP often supported the holding of municipal elections while the PDP by-and-large remained tight-lipped. During the Governor's rule, however, decision was taken to hold the municipal elections at an earliest.
But the subsequent second innings of the PDP-BJP alliance, dashed such prospects when government appealed the Election Commission of India to postpone the Anantnag bypolls. On April 21, the ECI announced postponement of the Anantnag bypoll scheduled for May 16.
It was a hint that if the situation was not feasible for the Assembly bypolls, chances were obviously bleak to hold municipal elections, last held twelve years ago. Highly placed sources said the PDP wants to defer the municipal elections as the party looks ahead to rejuvenate the grassroots, allegedly upset with the party performance in the first innings with the BJP.
The PDP, as per the insiders, is presently busy to consolidate position of Mehbooba Mufti as a strong Chief minister whose government was sworn in on April 4. But BJP is running a counter strategy.
For the past over a fortnight, the BJP has been holding back-to-back rallies in Kashmir, particularly Anantnag, the district, where PDP finds situation "grossly misfit for political activities in the wake of revival of militancy".
Seen as a PDP stronghold, Anantnag, is emerging as a favorite haunt for the BJP leadership. Infact scores of people from the area, mostly youth have joined the saffron brigade, which otherwise didn't enjoy any marginal public support in the restive region. Infact, the BJP leadership, including party President Sat Sharma are spending considerable time in south Kashmir, and elsewhere in the Valley.
Apart from Anantnag, the BJP has gone equally active in Ganderbal, an erstwhile National Conference stronghold, which PDP managed to take over in the previous elections.
Last week the BJP held a major party convention in the central Kashmir district while many locals, as per the leadership, joined the party ranks.
The rightwing party is equally busy in the summer capital of Srinagar, a nerve-center of political activities in Kashmir.
Apart from localized events, the BJP plans to hold a mega event here.
This all has started giving sleepless nights to the PDP, which looks ahead at deferment of the polls. "But the massive rallying by the ally hints at lack of trust between the two parties," said a political analyst , who is closely monitoring the developments.
"Last year, at one point of time, the two parties planned to jointly contest the municipal polls. But now it's a different scene," he added. |
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