Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat is set to witness a ‘Clash of Titans’ between one of the tallest Gujjar leaders and National Conference candidates Mian Altaf Ahmad and veteran Congress leader and Chairman of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party Ghulam Nabi Azad in the third phase of polling on May 7.
Announcing the candidature of Ghulam Nabi Azad, DPAP Treasurer Taj Mohiuddin in Srinagar told reporters that the core committee of the party has decided to field Ghulam Nabi Azad from the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat.
On its part, PDP is yet to take a final call on fielding their party candidates on three Lok Sabha seats of Kashmir valley. For the time being Bharatiya Janta Party is also keeping its cards close to its chest as regards announcing the name of the party candidate from the Anantnag Rajouri Lok Sabha seat. As per the political grapevine, the BJP may go ahead and lend tactical support to the DPAP candidate to prevent the division of votes.
The decision was taken a day after the National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah sprung a surprise by fielding five-time MLA from Kangan, Mian Altaf Ahmed.
Against the backdrop of this current political development, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Tuesday made concerted efforts to convey that all is well between the PDP and the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference.
Responding to media queries about whether the PDP will field its candidate against the JKNC nominee, Omar questioned the intentions of the media persons claiming they were trying to create a wedge between his party and the PDP to run their news bulletins.
“Why are you making the PDP fight us? Has the PDP said anywhere that they will contest elections? It is you people who are fuelling this. I heard the speech of Mehboba Mufti in Delhi, she said Farooq sahib and we are together and we will not break the INDIA alliance. Why are you trying to make us fight? “ he asked.
In Jammu, when National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah was asked about the People’s Democratic Party being “disappointed” over the National Conference announcing its candidate from the Anantnag-Rajouri seat, Abdullah responded angrily and said, “Who told you that they are disappointed? Have you heard her (Mehbooba Mufti) in Delhi? Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah (National Conference vice-president) and Mehbooba are standing united.”
When told that the People’s Democratic Party might put up a candidate against the National Conference’s Mian Altaf, Dr Abdullah said it is a free country and anyone can contest elections.
“Farooq (Abdullah) has no fear of it, the INDIA bloc has no fear. We are strong and nobody can break this alliance,” he said.
Dr Abdullah also lashed out at the BJP claiming they wanted to replicate Russia- and China-like rule in the country. Dr Abdullah said the INDIA bloc has come forward to safeguard the Constitution, even at the cost of “our lives”.
Asked to comment on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s criticism of the Congress over its decision to hand over the strategic Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka in the 1970s, Dr Abdullah pointed to China’s alleged incursions into Ladakh and its claims over land in Arunachal Pradesh.
“How much land is with China, why are they (Central Government) not talking about it? China has grabbed thousands of kilometres of our land and we raised the issue in the Parliament but they did not answer. Let them reply on this first,” the Srinagar MP said.
