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| Kupwara to show whose writ runs | | | ZAFAR CHOUDHARY
JAMMU, Nov 27: Up for a crucial battle in third phase on November 30, election in Kupwara district in North Kashmir is a unique challenge –as much for separatists as it is for individual fortunes of three major political parties.
An ideological bastion of Peoples Conference of slain Abdul Ghani Lone, in electoral terms Kupwara has overwhelmingly trusted the National Conference in election after election since 1983. Except for by-election in Langate in 1999 and jolt in Handwara in 2002, all five constituencies Kupwara have returned a National Conference nominee to the assembly in every election.
Decked with the Line of Control, the northern most district of Kashmir Valley, Kupwara has a mix of Kashmiri, Pahari and Gujjar voters. Besides a dash of rivalry between the major political parties, Kupwara has a cutting edge competition between mainstream and separatist sentiment.
This time the competition is five-cornered and unique –National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party, Congress and the independents are the four main contenders while the fifth factor is the election boycott call. Though the boycott is applicable across the Valley but in Kupwara it is a matter of credibility for Peoples Conference particularly after Syed Ali Shah Geelani accused Sajjad Lone of extending tacit support to the independent contestants.
The National Conference, for which Kupwara is a stronghold in the Valley, retaining its tally, if not improving further, is a question of maintaining the political relevance. For Peoples Democratic Party opening an account in Kupwara district is must for assuming a representative character in the Valley. For Congress it is a question of demonstrating the influence and sway of its state president Saif-ud-Din Soz who will have fetch seats from this North Kashmir home turf. Since the potential independent contenders are right from the ‘house’ of Peoples Conference, their victory is a question of the victory of mainstream school of thought over the separatist politics which they once belonged to.
There are at least three candidates in the fray who either come from the Lone family or from the ranks of the Peoples Conference. Shabnam Lone is the daughter of Abdul Ghani Lone and sister of Sajjad Lone who have been challenged by Geelani to prove his credibility by enforcing election boycott in Kupwara district.
Shabnam Lone has challenged Mir Saifullah of National Conference in Kupwara constituency. Saifullah has won this constituency twice since 1996. Another breakaway from the house of Peoples Conference is Sofi Ghulam Mohiuddin who created a history in 2002 by not only defeating the National Conference titan Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan but also proving that mainstream discourse remains relevant for addressing important issues concerning day to day life.
Four Kashmiri pandits and five women are among record number of 71 candidates who have filed their nominations for the five assembly constituencies of Kupwara.
Two Kashmiri pandit candidates -- Pawan Kumar and M K Pandita (both independent) -- have filed nominations from Handwara constituency while Shadi Lal Kant and Sameer Raina have filed their papers from Langate and Kupwara constituencies respectively.
Kant and Raina are candidates of recently launched Kashmiri Pandit Party National United Front (NUF).
Five women candidates, including Shabnum Gani Lone, sister of separatist leader Bilal Gani Lone and Sajad Gani Lone, have filed their nomination papers. Taja Parveen (People's Democratic Front) and Syeda Begum (BSP) have filed nominations from Karnah seat while Lone is an independent candidate from Kupwara segment. Shafeeqa Begum (Panther's Party) and Shameema Rehman (BSP) are contesting from Handwara seat.
National Conference, which won four of the five assembly constituencies in Kupwara 2002 elections, is facing a stiff challenge from PDP and independent candidates in these seats where polling will be held in the third phase on November 30. The party had only lost in Handwara segment to Ghulam Mohiuddin Sofi a "proxy" candidate fielded by People's Conference founded by slain Hurriyat Conference leader Abdul Gani Lone.
However, this time as many as 71 candidates are in fray in the five assembly constituencies of Kupwara district, which is 25 more than the last assembly elections. The Omar Abdullah-led party is facing tough competition from its arch rival People's Democratic Party (PDP), Congress and a large number of independent candidates who have jumped into the fray. Kupwara segment has the highest number of 19 candidates followed by 15 contestants in Langate, 14 in Karnah, 13 in Handwara and 10 in Lolab segment, he said. |
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