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| Mainstream political parties rendrawing pre-poll sttrategy | | |
Jammu, May 24
Though the next Assembly election is scheduled to be held in September-October 2008 various mainstream political parties have started what is called pre-poll strategy. At present the arch political foes, the National Conference and the PDP, seem to be trying to outwit each other.
The decision of the National Conference President, Mr Omar Abdullah, to spend more than one week in Poonch-Rajouri belt, where he has been drawing large crowds to his mass contact programme, has indicated that the NC leadership has plans of making up the loss the party may suffer in the Kashmir valley from the muslim belts of Poonch and Rajouri. The twin-border districts have eight Assembly seats.
Inside reports said that the National Conference leadership has become aware of the erosion the PDP has suffered in the Jammu region after it raked up the issue of demilitarisation, the demand having not been relished by majority of people in the region, it has decided to make fresh roads in areas where the PDP leaders, Mufti Mohd.Sayeed and his daughter, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, had dented the NC base during the last four years.
Apart from the demand for demilitarisation the resignation of Ramesh Mottan from the PDP is said to have weakened the base of the organization in the R.S.Pora belt. The NC leadership has plans of strengthening campaign in this belt also. In 2002 poll the NC had won nine seats against 11 in 1996.The PDP had drawn blank from the Jammu region. It won 17 seats from the valley.
The NC leadership plans to redouble its campaign in Poonch-Rajouri belt because in 2002 election it had bagged six of the eight seats in the two districts. Ever since the PDP leadership has received reports that majority of people in the Kashmir valley have supported its demand for demilitarization, repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act and vacation of orchards occupied by troops, the Mufti and his lieutants have decided to concentrate in the valley. It is in this connection that during the last three weeks the PDP leaders, especially the Mufti, has held series of public meetings in various parts of the valley. The plan is to continue.
After the NC leadership succeeds in winning back those people who had shown either pro-PDP or pro-Congress leaning in the Jammu region the party leaders will resume the pre-poll campaign in the valley. PDP leaders said that after completing the first phase of the mass awareness programme in the Kashmir valley the party leadership will focus its interest in Poonch-Rajouri,Udhampur, Jammu and Kathua areas.
The BJP has also initiated its exercise on cultivating people. To begin with it has, according to senior BJP leader, Dr Nirmal Singh, decided to strengthen the party network in the three Assembly constituencies in the Jammu city. It has already covered Gandhi Nagar Assembly segment and now its leaders will concentrate in Jammu east and Jammu West.It will cover adjoining areas of Jammu district after about a month. In 2002 Poll the party had won one seat of Nagrota.
The Panthers Party has drawn up its programme of strengthening its base in Udhampur, Kathua and Samba districts. In 2002 election the Panthers Party won four seats. Harsh Dev Singh has concentrated in his Ramnagar constituency. He said here today “I shall be touring other belts for strengthening the organization.”
The NC President has modified his style of campaigning. Instead of simply ridiculing the PDP and laying emphasis on autonomy he has begun talking about unemployment problem, poverty and development works. Not only this he has stopped Pakistan bashing which was an undoing for the party when Dr Farooq Abdullah had been heard fulminating against Islamabad and against the separatists.
Against this the PDP leadership lays stress on demilitarization and favours India-Pakistan dialogue to continue. The NC leadership has started countering it by suggesting involvement of all separatist and militant groups, including those belonging to the Unitedf Jehad Council, in the talks. The idea behind this new strategy is to play to the gallery in Kashmir.
The Congress is yet to galvanise its efforts for keeping peoples’ support to it in tact. In 2002 Assembly poll it had won 20 seats, majority from the Jammu region. Judged by recent events it seems the Congress show is being run by the Chief Minister. Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad has succeeded in drawing large gatherings of people to his rallies in various parts of the valley. His strategy is that since in the 2002 poll the party could win only five seats in the Kashmir valley out of 20 it needed to inflate its area of influence in the valley which could help it to compensate possible reverses in the Jammu region where the BJP has strengthened its bases.
Though PDP is at present basking in the upward curve graph in Kashmir those belonging to the PDF and other constituents of the ruling coalition were trying to saw the PDP saplings. The PDP, despite its alliance with the Congress, finds itself in a predicament with the Congress leaders secretly campaigning against it. This could affect the PDP’s vote bank when already the National Conference has drawn a one-point agenda of maligning the PDP leadership.
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