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| Rajouri in full poll mode, Congress missing in action | | Mirza, Talib cause anxiety for aspirants | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Oct 31: A formal announcement of their nominees still awaited the tacit go ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party and the National Conference to their nominees has put Rajouri district in an aggressive poll campaign mode. The uncertainty caused by the Congress in declaring its challengers is still a cause of anxiety among the aspirants as well as cadres.
Peoples Democratic Party is the first time potential player in the district as in 2002 its participation was mere ceremonial due to lack of any organized network of cadres. This time party is in a straight contest in at least one constituency and a significant competitor in two other.
Rajouri district has four assembly constituencies –Rajouri, Darhal, Kalakote and Nowshera. This district is going to poll in second phase and notification for while has already been issued. Polling is being held on November 23.
The Peoples Democratic Party has launched Choudhary Zulfikar Ali from Darhal and Master Tassaduq Hussain from Rajouri constituency. In neighbouring Kalakote constituency, the party has fielded Khaliq Hussain. There are no indications for Nowshera constituency so far and even if the party launches a candidate there that will be just for the ceremonial purposes.
National Conference has already given go ahead to its sitting legislators Mohammad Aslam Khan for Rajouri and Rashpaul Singh for Kalakote. Layakat Ali has been asked to contest from Darhal constituency where he lost in 2002 to an independent candidate Puran Singh who is this time a Congress hopeful. Even though Khan has already started his campaign in Rajouri constituency but suspense continues over his candidature as two party heavyweights –both former Ministers and former Members of Parliament –Choudhary Talib Hussain and Mirza Abdul Rashid are also aspiring to seek election from there.
Congress is still holding cards close to the chest as some potential faces from the National Conference are promising to win seats for the Congress. Sources said that the party is actively considering names of Choudhary Talib Hussain for Rajouri and Mirza Abdul Rashid for Darhal constituencies. Both were with Congress till switching over to the National Conference few years back. However, a strong lobby in the central leadership of the Congress is not quite convinced with the move fearing a bad message to the electors. The Congress has already given ticket to a National Conference dissident Bashir Ahmed Naaz for Poonch-Haveli constituency which goes to poll in first phase on November 17.
Peoples Democratic Party dissident Mohammad Sharief Tariq has declared to contest against the official nominee in Rajouri constituency.
For Nowshera and Kalakote constituency, the Congress is weighing options between Dr Romesh Chander Sharma, Ravinder Sharma and Ashok Sharma. Ashok is a sitting MLC and had won Kalakote seat on Congress ticket in 1996. In 2002 he lost to Rashpaul Singh of the National Conference. Romesh Chander had won 2002 elections from Nowshera but Ravinder is still a potential contender.
District headquarter of Rajouri being epicenter of heightened political activity, Darhal constituency is witnessing an aggressive campaign as uncertainty still prevails in other three constituencies. In Darhal, Chowdhary Zulfikar Ali is strongly pitted against Layaqat Ali of National Conference. This constituency has been represented by Zulfikar’s father Choudhary Mohammad Hussain five times since 1967. Zulfikar had contested in 2002 as independent candidate and polled over 8,000 votes. |
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