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| National Conference has missed the opportunity again | | | Jammu, June 8 : The ruling National Conference leadership seems to have missed the bus as far as the Kashmiri Pandit vote bank is concerned. It was so because none of the top leaders of National Conference visited the historic shrine of Khirbhawani in Ganderbal district on Fridaywhen several thousand Pandits, most of them having travelled from Jammu and Delhi, had assembled to celebrate annual religious fair.
Eve prior to their exodus Kashmiri Pandits did not constitute a significant vote bank. And after the migration their vote bank has further dwindled. Still these Pandit voters have made and are capable of making a difference in the poll results in case majority of people in the valley respond to the separatists' call for poll boycott. Since the Election Commission has been making arrangements for the displaced people to cast their votes in Jammu and Delhi these Pandit voters can make or mar any candidate's fortunes. The NC leadership ignored it. And there were many among the pilgrims who were peeved over the way Omar Abdullah and his father, Dr Farooq Abdullah, remained conspicuous by their absence. And the PCC Chief, Saif-ud-Din Soz and senior PDP leader, Tariq Hameed Karra, remained conspicuous by their presence. They mixed with some Pandit leaders and exchanged ideas on various issues.Even Pandits had an element of surprise when the Chief of the JKLF, Mohd.Yasin Mailk, visited the shrine to greet people on the occasion. As long as separatists continue to call upon people to boycott the elections mainstream political parties cannot afford to ignore Pandits. Out of 46 Assembly constituencies Pandit voters have strong pockets in about 15 constituencies, Srinagar, Anantnag, Sopore, Baramullah being on the top. And if a section of Pandits accepted the Govcernment's package on return and rehabilitation in the Kashmir valley they could have a big say in making or marring the fortunes of contesting candidates. NC sources said that Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah had been enraged by reports indicating that majority of Pandit voters had cast their votes in favour of PDP candidates. Possibly this could have been the reason for the NC leadership to avoid visiting the Khirbhawani shrine for the first time. (KIP) |
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