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| Decision of Kashmir centric parties to stay away from polls backfires | | NC, PDP boycott leaves ground open for BJP, Congress | | Early Times Report
jammu, Sept 20: Congress clearing the air and deciding to participate in the forthcoming municipal and panchayat polls has put the Kashmir centric parties National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party in a tight spot.
Both the parties, according to the Kashmir watchers, were expecting that Congress would also stay away from the polls but it did not happen. "Both NC and PDP stand isolated and if they continue to preach boycott they could end on the other side of the line," said an analyst.
He said that PDP and NC by deciding to stay away from the panchayat and municipal polls have toed the line of separatists and have covertly endorsed their ideology. "Congress coming forward to contest the elections could make situation difficult for the BJP as the saffron party was expecting that winning these elections would be a cakewalk," the analyst added.
Now the contest is open as its Congress versus BJP at least in Jammu and Ladakh regions. "BJP leaders who were dreaming of winning these polls unopposed will have to work hard now," the analyst added.
Soon after Congress announced its decision to participate in the polls, National Conference and PDP launched a scathing attack on the party. "Reaction of NC and PDP was on expected lines. Both the parties know it very well that their decision to stay away from the polls has backfired. And if they continue to follow the same line there is every possibility about both these parties disappearing from the political arena of the Valley," said a politician.
He said, "Only a few Congress leaders from Kashmir were opposing the idea of not contesting the municipal and panchayat polls. Leaders from Jammu region were ready and had even conveyed it to the party high command to ensure that suggestions of Kashmir centric leaders of the party are turned down."
An observer said that Kashmir based leaders of the Congress party know it very well that their base stands eroded in the Valley. Poor show by them in the forthcoming polls would expose them further. "On the other hand Jammu based Congress leaders are aware about the fact that poor performance of the BJP leaders has pushed them away from the people in Jammu region and they (Congress leaders) can regain their lost ground by challenging BJP's hegemony in the region," he added.
The observer said, "People of Jammu want to teach saffron party a lesson and results could throw a big surprise," he added. |
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