news details |
|
|
| All eyes set on the surprise entrant -Sajjad Lone in valley | | | Early Times Report
Jammu May 12
As the constituencies of Baramulla and Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir go to the polls in the last phase May 13, all eyes are on separatist leader Sajjad Gani Lone, the surprise entrant in the poll ring.
There are 13 candidates in the fray in the north Kashmir Lok Sabha constituency of Baramulla-Kupwara, but the main triangular contest seemingly is between the ruling National Conference (NC) candidate Sharief-ud-Din Sharriq, Muhammad Dilawar Mir of the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) and Lone of the People's Conference.
Lone, the son of People's Conference founder Abdul Gani Lone who was assassinated in 2003 by unidentified assailants and is the first separatist in Kashmir to contest the polls since a revolt broke out in Kashmir in 1989.
As per reports the separatist leader Lone is claiming in valley streets to carry the voice of the Kashmiri people to the Indian parliament during his poll campaigning and public rallies.
Infact his entry has come made the Baramulla Polls not only interesting but all eyes are set on the Parliamentary polls of this particular segment where Lone has emerged a challenge to both the NC and the PDP who had otherwise been the arch rivals in this constituency.
Sharief-ud-Din Shariq of the NC had unsuccessfully contested the December 2008 assembly polls from Langate constituency, while PDP candidate, Muhammad Dilawar Mir, tasted defeat in assembly polls 2008 in his fortress Rafiabad at the hands of NC candidate Zahoor Ahmad.
Meanwhile political observers have speculated good response in this segment especillay after the jumping in by the separatist leader Sajjad Lone. They feel the trends indicate that segment will witness high turn out this year. Recalling the past they said in 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Baramulla recorded 35.6 percent poll percentage, which was the highest among the three constituencies of Srinagar, Anantnag and Baramulla in the Kashmir Valley.
Besides employment, development and tourism, devolution of more powers from the Centre to the state and better ties between India and Pakistan have dominated the poll campaign of both the NC and the PDP in this constituency.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
