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| Staring at defeat from his 'bastions', Farooq looks to enter Assembly via Kangan | | Mian Altaf to shift to Darhal | | Mustansir
Srinagar, June19: After facing electoral drubbing in parliamentary elections, Abdullahs are extra cautious in identifying safe constituencies for themselves so that they can save the blushes as they are apprehensive of their fortunes from their current constituencies.
If the sources are to be believed senior Abdullah has reportedly asked seniorGujjar leader and forest Minister in Omar Abdullah government, MianAltaf Ahmad to vacate Kangan which he represents in the state legislature for him(Farooq).
Though some reports suggest that Farooq is also weighing the option of contesting from Amirakadal constituency of the Srinagar city presently represented by Nasir Aslam Wani.
Sources told Early Times that Abdullahs are so much scared after the recent whitewash at the hands of opposition PDP that they want to choose their constituencies very carefully. Sources further said that MianAltaf son of the renowned octogenarian Gujjar leader and religious cleric Mian Bashir Ahmad will be asked to contest from Darhal Constituency in Rajouri District-again a Gujjar dominated constituency currently represented by PDP's Choudhary Zulfikar.
They said that Dr. Farooq Abdullah is weighing this option very seriously as the traditional constituencies of Ganderbal, Hazratbal andSonwar are not safe for the Abdullah trio-Farooq, Kamal and Omar-anymore.
Sources said that the local NC leader of Darhal, ChouderyLiaqat who is very closely related to Altaf has principally agreed to leave the seat for him (Altaf) is he so chooses.
"The historical downfall of Abdullahs-from unparallel political authority they were enjoying in Kashmir to the Congress dependent party to finding refuge in popularity of some influential community leaders-is amazing and should be an eye-opener for the political leaders on either side of political divide in Kashmir" said a political commentator. Meanwhile some conflicting reports even suggest that Farooq is also mulling the option of contesting from Amirakadal constituency currently represented by chief minister Omar Abdullah's trusted lieutenant, NasirAslamWani. Reports said that Wani who actually hails from Lolab Constituency of North Kashmir's Kupwara district is perturbed over possible move. Reports said that Abdullahs could not even think of contesting from Ganderbal, Hazratbal and Sonwar constituencies following their defeat from all the segments in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections. In the recently held parliamentary polls in the State, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah conceded a lead of 2913 votes to PDP in his home assembly segment of Ganderbal where PDP polled 13,220 votes against NC's 10,307 votes.
In Sonawar, which was first represented by NC President Farooq Abdullah in 2008 but later by Yasin Shah after Farooq was elected to the parliament, NC conceded a lead of 3168 votes polling 4094 votes against PDP's 7262 votes.
In Hazratbal assembly segment, which is represented by chief minister's uncle Mustafa Kamal, NC conceded a lead of 5907 votes with PDP polling 9073 votes against NC's 3176 votes.
Pertinently Ganderbal used to be a stronghold of NC until Qazi Muhammad Afzal created a major upset in 2002 LA polls, defeating Omar Abdullah. Omar won back the seat in 2008, becoming the 11th and the youngest chief minister Jammu and Kashmir.Omar's grandfather and former Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, and his father and three-time chief minister, Farooq Abdullah had nursed Ganderbal constituency since 1975. Sheikh Abdullah fought LA polls from Ganderbal in 1975 when he returned to mainstream politics after 22 years. After Sheikh's death in 1982, his son and Omar's father, Farooq fought and won the 1983, 1987 and 1996 polls from Ganderbal. |
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