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| Mehbooba woos Yash back but battle between Naz, Jan | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
POONCH, Nov 6: Proving the political calculations wrong, battle is toughening in Poonch between Bashir Ahmed Naz of Congress and Ajaz Jan of the National Conference.
The Peoples Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti who was on a whirlwind tour of the district though managed to pacify party’s enraged leader Yash Pal Sharma but its candidate is still finding it tough to make a place in third angle of the contest. Situation may change in the coming days but so far it appears to be a straight contest.
The Congress had given ticket to Bashir Ahmed Naz after he drew empty from his own party National Conference. This decision was clearly influenced by the caste factor as party saw National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party fielding Pahari candidates. Naz is a Gujjar heavyweight and Congress perhaps expected consolidation of community vote and division of the Pahari vote between NC and PDP candidate.
However, turning the course of battle, the National Conference could get into a party-fold a local strongman who had contested December 2007 byelections from this Poonch-Haveli constituency. Abdul Karim Tantray polled more than 10,000 votes as an independent contestant when entire government machinery and Ministers were stationed in Poonch to ensure victory of Congress candidate Jahangir Mir.
Tantray had this time filed papers as Peoples Democratic Forum leader but later National Conference patron Dr Farooq Abdullah wooed him to the party. He is now working for NC nominee Ajaz Jan and has made the battle touch for Bashir Naz who was otherwise quite confident of winning.
The PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti who was here visited the resident of estranged and enraged party leader Yash Pal Sharma who was sulking after being denied ticket. PDP had fielded Imtiyaz Bandey. Though Sharma agreed to campaign with Mehbooba but he said that it was difficult for his at this stage to convert the vote bank on whatever he mustered command.
Meanwhile, Mehbooba, accompanied by party leader Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, Sharma and contestant Bandey addressed a series of public meetings in the constituency.
While addressing these meeting, Mehbooba reminded that the people of Jammu and Kashmir had given two- third majority to the National Conference with a hope that the democratic elected government would solve their problems. "What to say of heeding woes of the masses, immature and incredible NC leadership used that brute majority to further compound their woes", she regretted and asked the people not to repose faith in that careless and non serious leadership.
"The coming elections are not just to elect some individuals. You have to elect a leader who would lead you in the coming six years", she said and, adding " Mufti Mohammad Sayed, as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, has set an example of good governance".
"We want to your support to carry forward the unaccomplished political and economic agenda of Mufti Sayed which is aimed at changing fate of the inhabitants of this State", she said, adding, "the visionary measures of enormous political and economic significance taken by the party has yielded encouraging results as prevailing peace on the border is result of that policies".
Pointing towards completion of Mugal road project, she said that linking of Poonch with Kashmir through this route would open new employment avenues in these backward areas which were neglected by the successive representatives. "There is huge tourism potential in this belt and opening of this route would attract foreign tourist", she hoped and reminded that PDP had promised to complete Mugal road and this promise was fulfilled. |
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