| Valley warms up to political, boycott campaigning | | | Mustansir
Srinagar, Mar 23: As the PDP, BJP and the ruling NC-Congress alliance gear up for political battle, the separatist leaders too started their poll boycott campaign through mosques where they have ready audiences.
With PDP and BJP riding on anti-incumbency wave against the ruling coalition, the separatists are banking upon their conventional stand that participation in any electoral process would be betrayal.
Observers believe that if separatists intensify their poll boycott campaign in Kashmir valley, the ruling National Conference then need little efforts as there is a perception that the lesser the voter turnout, the better are the chances for NC to win the game. If JKLF Chairman, M Yasin Malik's door to door poll campaign was any indication, the separatist camp particularly the hard-line camp of Sayed Ali Geelani followed by Malik, Shabir Shah and Nayeem Khan would certainly damage the prospects of opposition PDP. Though the people in Kashmir since 2002 have voted in large numbers particularly in rural Kashmir. The separatists, as there are indications, would concentrate more on Srinagar and other major towns like Baramullah and Anantnag where the turnout remains usually low. However, describing casting votes "a betrayal", Kashmiri separatists have joined hands to raise pitch against the parliamentary elections and interestingly first door-to-door campaign to dissuade voters was kicked off from south Kashmir.
JKLF chairman, Yasin Malik, who started a mass poll boycott campaign on Friday, said, "All mainstream parties are funded by India's home Ministry. Forces and institutions facilitate their campaign... Boycotting these polls is not a legitimate exercise but democratic too." |
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