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| Srinagar goes to polls today, NC-PDP locked in battle of nerves | | Whose way boycott will go | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
JAMMU, Apr 29: With Srinagar going to votes tomorrow, boycott call of separatists coupled with anti-incumbency as well as anti-Modi sentiment running high in all the 15 assembly segments of high profile Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency has made the election extremely tough and unpredictable for both PDP and NC.
NC has fielded its patron and strongest candidate Dr. Farooq Abdullah, who is Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy while PDP has chosen ex-Finance Minister and a Srinagar local Tariq Hameed Qarra. AAP has also chipped in with RTI crusader turned politician Raja Muzaffar Bhat. Political observers believe that the contest is essentially between Farooq and Qarra.
Farooq generated a lot of heat during the campaign by aiming his words and political jibes at BJP's PM nominee Narendra Modi. Knowing well that Muslims are still unable to connect themselves with BJP's PM nominee, Farooq played the song at the right time. He used his entire political dictionary while talking about Modi at various public meetings across the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency.
Pitched verbal onslaughts remained order of the day with NC candidate and Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah calling PDP an ally of BJP's PM nominee Narendra Modi and PDP Patron Mufti Mohammed Sayeed reminding NC leadership of its relationship with BJP especially during the 2002 riots, taint of which still on the BJP's PM nominee.
Campaign has been an aggressive Farooq and an equally hyper Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. On the other hand, PDP patron Mufti Mohammed Sayeed preferred keeping campaign more sombre and tactical with focus on getting votes over making terse and headline making statements. Now that the campaign is over and Srinagar would be voting amid heavy presence of security forces on Wednesday, a look at the past reveals how close the contest is likely to be.
Anti-incumbency and popular resentment against ruling NC-Congress dispensation has been to some extent superseded by Abdullah's invoking 'Muslim fear of Modi' across the constituency. They have uttered all possible words to convince the Muslim electorate of Srinagar that they should vote for them if Modi is to be stopped from becoming Prime Minister of India. Observers maintain that NC-Congress coalition knew well that if development and governance are made issues, PDP would leave them way behind since not much has happened in the last 5 years.
Despite Hurriyat sponsored poll boycott, PDP is heavily banking on electorate voting wisely and penalising NC-Congress for their misgovernance and corruption. The party does understand that the so-called separatists have string influence and control in all the assembly segments of Srinagar district besides NC having an army of dedicated workers who come to vote without worrying about consequences. PDP leaders are also wary of NC using state machinery.
Yet the fact that in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, NC dominated and controlled Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency was won by Dr. Farooq Abdullah by a paltry margin of 30, 242 votes has made the party confident that this time, it would be Qarra and not Farooq who would have the last laugh. In the 2009 Assembly elections, Farooq had significant leads in 10 assembly segments which included Kangan, Ganderbal, Eidgah, Khanyar, Habba Kadal, Amira Kadal, Sonawar, Batamaloo, Khan Sahib and Charar-e-Sharif. All these have NC MLAs.
On the contrary, by leading merely in 5 constituencies, PDP had given NC hiccups. 5 constituencies where PDP has leads in 2009 included Hazratbal, Zadibal, Chadoora, Budgam and Beerwah. Of these, only two are represented by PDP in the current assembly. They are Chadoora and Beerwah while of the three others; two assembly segments are with NC and one with Hakeem Mohammed Yaseen of PDF. If the PDP manages to increase its vote share by even a paltry 5 to 7 percent, NC would face worst humiliation in its stronghold. But whatever the results, the so-called separatists have ensured that resentment with popular Government should find no expression.
They would issue handouts claiming victory without realising the fact that the boycott is only going to increase bargaining power of Pakistan and not them. None in the possible Modi led Government is going to take their words seriously. Political observers maintain that democratic expression would have given an opportunity to the Srinagar wallas to vent their anger but that is not being allowed. |
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