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| Moves seem afoot to destroy Congress in J&K – V | | Pre Poll Alliance | | Neha
JAMMU, Nov 30: What about Kashmir region? Can the NC afford to allow the Congress party to occupy political space more than what it at present occupies? The NC cannot? For, the min political rival of the NC in the Valley is the PDP, which already occupies equal, if not more, political space in the Valley. The constituency of the NC and the PDP in Kashmir is the same and both the parties are trying hard to not only strengthen their hold over their respective constituencies but also to expand further their areas of influence and activities because they believe, and very rightly, that if they are to remain at the helm of affairs in the state, they have no other option to capture as many seats from the Valley as possible. The PDP is in an advantageous position because it has been playing the role of an opposition in an effective manner to an extent and exposing the misdeeds, wrong-doings and what it calls the anti-people and the anti-democratic of the ruling coalition in general and the NC in particular. The PDP is on the offensive and the NC is on the defensive. The situation as it prevails at present in the Valley, which returns 46 members to the assembly, does suggest that the PDP would turn tables on the NC in case elections are held today. Things are unlikely to improve for the NC in the coming days.
As said, the NC cannot afford more political space to the Congress party in the Kashmir valley. The Congress support-base is limited to three assembly constituencies - Uri (Baramulla district) and Dooru and Kokernag (Anantnag district). The Congress has been representing these constituencies in the assembly for many years now. The Congress also has considerable presence in the Gurez assembly constituency (Bandipora district). In 2008, the Congress candidate had got 44.64 per cent of the total votes polled and the NC 51.05 per percent. The Congress also has some support-base in the Ganderbal (Ganderbal district) Sonawar (Srinagar district), pampore (Pulwama district), Noorabad (Kulgam district) and Shangus (Anantnag district). In 2008, the Congress candidates in these constituencies respectively got 20.24 per cent; 23.47 per cent; 19.78 per cent; 24.20 per cent; and 25.10 percent of the total votes polled. The NC registered victory in the Ganderbal, Sonawar and Noorabad assembly constituencies and the PDP in Pampore and Shangus. In the remaining 38 assembly constituencies, the Congress has insignificant or no presence at all. Hazratbal (Srinagar) and Karnah (Kupwara) assembly constituencies are perhaps the only two other constituencies where the Congress candidates had got more than 10 per cent and less than 12 per cent of the total votes polled.
This is the situation in Kashmir Valley. It is clear that the local NC leadership would not like to share its already dwindled political space with the already rather unpopular Congress party. Let's see what the Congress high command and the NC high command will ultimately do. (concluded) |
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