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| Congress losing ground in Jammu very fast | | | Bashir Assad
SRINAGAR, Jan 17: The landslide victory for Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) in the recent elections to the four states could definitely affect the political fortunes in Jammu and Kashmir, political pundits observe.
According to them, BJP's win in the four states is likely to lead the party to power in Centre. The party which was seen as the runner-up in the Parliament has practically changed its feel and colour after Modi's anointment as Prime Ministerial candidate.
The Modi effect can be clearly established by the fact that Congress failed to do any wonders in Rajasthan, where Rahul Gandhi addressed rallies. Contrary to this, BJP won 16 out of the 20 seats in the areas where Modi had addressed largely attended public rallies. Political commentators are of the opinion that it is something which is likely to happen in the Jammu and Kashmir especially in Jammu after the massive rally of Modi on December 1 last year.
The ruling National Conference and the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) know that they can't even form a Government on their own so both are hoping for a ride on Congress. But the fact on ground is that with the future of Congress uncertain after the polling results in four states came out recently, both NC and PDP are left in a sticky situation.
NC and Congress now realize the change in Central Government is alarming and there is every possibility of Modi becoming the next Prime Minister as BJP has put up credible show in the said four states comprising 74 Parliamentary seats. Political commentators feel that a changed Government at the centre before the J&K Assembly elections could change political equations in Kashmir as well. It is an open secret now that Central Government's nod in making a Government in the state is significant. While Modi's 'Lalkar Rally' was the best thing to have happened to the party's rank and file since then, party has started fencing its chances in both Assembly as well as Parliamentary elections. BJP has also been encouraged by the huge anti Congress wave across the country.
The election wind has already started blowing across the state with both NC and PDP, the principal regional parties in J&K declaring their candidates for the Parliamentary elections. With Parliamentary elections likely early next year and Assembly elections getting due a few months later, there is a probability of both the elections being held concurrently - a preposition that BJP would be weighing more advantageous in the current political scenario. Now NC and PDP are trying to walk cautiously in view of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, due in 2014. For NC, the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's latest tweets are an indication.
"Notes to self for 2014 - big public meetings don't always mean votes but poorly attended ones definitely indicate big trouble," Omar tweeted. Pertinently, poorly attended rallies had been a major concern for the ruling Congress as its leading face Rahul Gandhi campaigned in Delhi and some parts of Rajasthan. "Notes to self for 2014 - voters will see through crude attempts to buy support with last minute populist schemes," Tweeted Omar and signed off with this cut stone, "And perhaps last lesson for today #2014, a divisive message won't work but you can't fight an election with a Gandhian campaign either."
The core of Omar's tweets is that reflection of his changed idea about the invincibility and importance of the Congress. Reports suggest that the NC leadership may reconsider its plan of influencing the Congress for having a pre-poll alliance both during the Lok Sabha and the Assembly elections. But many commentators call it a "compulsion" for Congress to have a pre-poll alliance in Jammu and Kashmir so that it can have only BJP to fight in Jammu. |
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