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| Baramullah voters ignore boycott call | | |
It was 26 per cent polling in Anantnag constituency. It was 24 per cent polling in Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency. The separatists faces wore a smile. They thought their writ has run in Anantnag and Srinagar. If one examines the voting pattern it was only the Pulwama district that registered poor polling and it was about 50 per cent in various Assembly segments in Anantnag district. Simlarly only the six Assembly segments out of 15 in Srinagar constituency recorded poor polling and it was normal in rest of the constituency. Yesterday's polling percentage in Baramullah-Kupwara constituency may have rattled the separatists houses.Out of 15 Assembly segments poor polling was recorded in Sopore and Baramullah. Sopore Assembly constituency used to be represented by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who now heads the hardliners among the separatists. Hence poor polling ,a mere 12 per cent, in Sopore was understandable. So was the case in Baramullah. These two belts are considered to be stronghold of Geelani.If the voting pattern in Baramullah, Sopore, Sangrama and Gulmarg has gladdened the heart of Geelani the brisk polling in Hndwara(67 per cent),Karnah (59 per cent),Lolab (50 per cent)Uri (37 per cent)Gurez (50 %) Sonawari (51%) and Bandipore(32%) should have worried the separatists. In fact the separatists have tried their best to wreck the election in Baramullah constituency. Police had to fire teargas shells to prevent agitators from attacking poll staff. In other areas there were skirmishes between the police and the agitators. More than four persons were injured. One of the reasons for normal polling in the constituency, especially in Kupwara district, was the entry of Sajjad Lone, a prominent separatist, in the poll fray. The way he organised road shows and launched a door-to-door campaign had removed fears among people. Fence sitters were motivated to vote when they saw a separatist like Sajjad Lone seeking support of voters. He himself cast his vote and that should have encouraged others to follow suit. It was only in 1989 Lok Sabha election that voters responded to the call for boycott. The Srinagar seat went to the National Conference without a contest and Baramullah and Anantnag registered 4.5 to five per cent polling. Since 1996 the polling percentage in Baramullah-Kupwara constituency has ranged between 35 and 45.It was 35 per cent in 1996,45 per cent in 1998 and 35.66 per cent in 2004.Major portion of the constituency lies on the Border with Pakistan. People have suffered because of wars and border firing. If they have voted on Wednesday they have voted for peace. They have voted for development. In the process they have ignored the boycott call from the separatists.
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