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| People leaving no space for bogus, mobile voters; politicians lure electorate by offering money, gifts | | High voter turnout in first two phases 'perturbs' NC | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Dec 7: As the stage is set for the third phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir, political parties are trying their best to reach out to the voters through different means as the record polling percentage in the first two phases has made the politicians believe that boycott factor, bogus voting and mobile voters are not going to help their cause.
Kashmir based parties, including ruling National Conference and opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), have organized massive road shows and rallies during the past few days amidst high threat perception as Valley witnessed four militant attacks on Friday.
Candidates of the small parties who cannot manage big road shows and gatherings are going door to door to seek votes and are trying their best to convince the people to elect them. People breaking shackles after two decades and coming out in large numbers to cast their votes has come as a major setback for the separatists and the ruling National Conference which till the recent past used to count heavily on the boycott factor.
Sources told Early Times that huge participation of the people in the first two phases of the elections has "perturbed" the NC leadership. These days most NC leaders are out on the roads to seek votes. "If we don't reach out to voters there is every possibility of our fate being sealed. People have realized that their vote can prove decisive and this time around they want to ensure that their vote is not wasted," said a senior NC leader.
He said that "boycott days are over" if politicians have to keep their political careers and ambitions alive then they cannot afford to sit in the cozy rooms and wait for their agents to do their job. "People have become sensitive and are aware about what they want. Slogans are not enough to feed the voters. Times have changed and politicians will have to change if they have to remain relevant."
Sources said many politicians who used to rely on the "bogus and mobile voters" have given up the idea this time around and are trying to lure the voters by offering them money and gifts. At some places candidates are using their personal approach to strike a chord with people. "Politicians are of the firm belief that people will come out to vote in large numbers and there is a least possibility of there being any space for their men to indulge in rigging," they said, adding, "Election Commission of India installing hi tech gadgets inside the polling booths too has made things difficult for the politicians."
Pertinently, many parties in 2008 had alleged that National Conference used mobile and bogus voters across Srinagar and took advantage of the poll boycott call given by the separatists. National Conference had won all the eight seats in the city in the last assembly polls.
In the third phase of the assembly elections slated for Tuesday the sixteen assembly constituencies spread over three districts - Budgam, Pulwama and Baramulla in Kashmir region would go to polls. Nearly 13.69 lakh electors, including 6.51 lakh women, would decide the fate of 144 candidates among whom are the Chief Minister, three of his cabinet colleagues and 10 other sitting MLAs.
The third phase is crucial for the PDP also as it had won nine out of 16 seats in 2008 assembly elections while the ruling NC won only four, Congress and Peoples Democratic Front won one seat each while one seat went to independent candidate. |
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