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| If only they win! | | Assembly Hall will be most interesting place | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 20: Doubting winning prospects of any of the three former Chief Ministers, presidents of leading political parties or other heavy weights may be seen as contempt by their cadre but forthcoming legislative assembly will have the egos of many a veterans cut to size when they are voted to sit either on opposition benches or the last seat on treasury benches –if all of them win.
There has to be only Chief Minister. The campaign trail and the polling trends suggest he can be either of Farooq Abdullah or Mufti Mohammad Sayeed or Ghulam Nabi Azad or Omar Abdullah or she can be Mehbooba Mufti. One of them occupying the first seat in front row towards right side of the Speaker. Imagine seating arrangement of the rest in the Assembly Hall –it will be like galaxy of political capital but if they win!.
Assembly elections 2008 are interesting as compared to the 2002 polls as all parties have put in their best in the fray. In 2002, there was overconfidence. Leaders wanted their people to win seats for them and make them to sit in first seat of the front row. This time it is all about security more seats.
In 2002 there was only one well declared Chief Ministerial candidate –Omar Abdullah. HE went around places declaring members of his cabinet –more than in every constituency where he campaigned (the one who wins and the other who supports NC nominee). The then incumbent Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah went missing in the middle of campaign and later reports said that he was holidaying in South Africa.
Though Congress does not have a policy of declaring Chief Ministerial candidate during campaign as he is decided in New Delhi after polls but its state leader in 2002 elections –Ghulam Nabi Azad –did not contest. He too followed Omar suite. On campaign trail to every constituency he told people, “Our party nominee in this constituency has already been selected to become a Cabinet Minister…weather he wins or loses…but if he wins all credit will go to you”. This lure did work and Congress romped home 20 seats.
In Peoples Democratic Party, Mehbooba contested election from Pahalgam and Mufti opted for campaigning. Probably not sure of its role after results, the PDP did not promise ministerial berths and sought votes for change. The change really did come in Kashmir’s political system.
This time all heavy weights are in the fray. Besides leaders of main political parties with formidable base there are sitting and former Members of Parliament, heads of state parties contesting elections. Notable among them are former Union Minister and BJP leader Chaman Lal Gupta and Panthers Party leader Bhim Singh who were not in fray in 2002 elections.
Legislative assembly is perhaps the most pious and respected place to sit in a democracy but the top leaders contesting present elections do not have a taste of sitting in opposition or in any chair which is not of the Chief Minister. The fact of the matter is that, if they win, the seating arrangement in the Legislative Assembly will be most interesting.
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