Engineer Rashid’s political strand seems to be resonating in South Kashmir except for 15 seats in North and Central Kashmir where people are fed up with the options available – NC and PDP. (PTI)
The BJP is hoping that Engineer Rashid’s version of democracy, which seems to resonate with the people of North Kashmir, will split the votes between the AIP, the National Conference-Congress alliance and the PDP, making it easy for the saffron party.
Since the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A in 2019, the first assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir have considerable significance for every political outfit.
While the National Conference wants to prove itself as the oldest outfit, the PDP wants to show that people are still behind Mufti despite the defection in 2014 when it formed an unusual coalition with the BJP. The BJP, which is finding it difficult to find candidates in the Valley, wants to think that its larger mandate is for a ‘New Kashmir’ that favors development over extremism. Such is the enigma of this election that at least four Jamat members are prohibited from considering the fight as independents.
In the 90-seat Assembly elections, the BJP is likely to field 60-70 candidates leaving the Valley where they will return to strong and equal independents, sources said. After four lists, the party has announced a total of 51 names so far. So what makes the BJP so confident even if it doesn’t have 20-30 seats?
It turns out that the BJP is betting big on a former J&K government employee-turned-politician whom the Center has jailed in Delhi’s Tihar jail in a terror funding case.
Sheikh Abdul Rashid, better known as Engineer Rashid, whose spectacular victory defeated former chief minister Omar Abdullah and People’s Conference leader Sajjad Lone from the Baramulla seat in this Lok Sabha election by securing 4,72,481 votes, has made him a force to watch in the assembly elections. this. His Awami Ittehad party has fielded 18 candidates so far and plans to announce a total of 35-40 in North Kashmir – Rashid’s main base – and Central Kashmir.
“I cannot give the exact number of candidates we will choose because the political affairs committee has been arrested on the matter. It is their prerogative. But it can be up to 35 to 40,” said Firdous Baba, AIP spokesperson, to News18.
The BJP is hoping that Engineer’s version of democracy, which seems to resonate with the people of North Kashmir, will divide the votes between the AIP, the National Conference-Congress alliance and the PDP, making it easy for the saffron party.
Even in South Kashmir areas like Pulwama, Tral, Zainapora in Shopian, and Anantnag, residents will often boycott polling and in many cases, pockets will see low voter turnout. The boycott call by the Hurriyat Conference will resonate in these seats as it did in the 2014 elections when the late Syed Ali Shah Geelani made the appeal.
Engineer Rashid’s political streak seems to resonate here except for 30 seats in North and Central Kashmir where people are fed up with the options available – NC and PDP. If Rashid’s party puts up a good fight and maintains Baramulla’s track record in some North and Central Kashmir seats, it is likely to be a hung assembly again – leaving the BJP with a choice of a post-poll alliance bid or a choice. to repeat President’s Rule once more.
“This is the propaganda of our enemies and nothing else. They cannot digest our victory. People prefer our brand of politics that cannot be accepted by the traditional parties (NC and PDP). First, they call us secessionists, Islamic radicals or accused us of having a separatist ideology. They attached the BJP tag to us. If anyone has the moral authority to comment against the BJP, it is us is the flag bearer of anti-BJP ideology in the Valley,” Baba told News18.
While he may be right about the NC and PDP being the same as the BJP in the past, and the people of the Valley are talking about a new political choice where Rashid is seen as someone who has sacrificed important years for the people of Kashmir, the general election. the result – if it goes as speculated – is bound to help the BJP.
In 2014, out of 46 seats in the Valley, 25 went to the PDP and 12 to the NC while the Congress managed only four, leaving the rest for independents. Among the three districts that constitute the core area of Engineer – North Kashmir – Kupwara, Bandipora and 15 Baramulla Assembly seats, PDP and NC won 10 seats. In Central Kashmir Srinagar, Bugdam, and 15 Ganderbal assembly seats, NC and PDP won 14 seats. The victory in these regions took the total number of PDP to 28 and NC to 15. Now, BJP is hoping that AIP will make a significant impact on the traditional J&K party in these six districts which will limit the total number.