Different parts of Kashmir valley are abuzz with hectic political activities in the run-up to the third round of polling on May 7.
From organizing big election rallies to street corner meetings and taking out road shows the leaders are roaming freely and reaching out to the electorate with their party programs and slogans to woo them to cast votes in their favor.
To prevent any untoward incident the leaders have been advised to adhere to the standard operating procedures even as elaborate security arrangements remain intact.
Three former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mehbooba Mufti are holding public rallies and attracting big crowds in their election meetings. Leaders of the People's Conference and Jammu and Kashmir Apni party are also holding public rallies seeking votes and support for their party candidates.
Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat will witness a tight contest between National Conference candidate Mian Altaf Ahmad and PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti. Jammu and Kashmir Apni party candidate Zaffar Iqbal Manhas is also in the fray and is banking heavily on the support from like-minded political parties who are not contesting the elections to prevent the division of votes.
On Monday Chairman of the Apni Party Altaf Bukhari announced unconditional support to the Peoples Conference leader Sajad Lone in Baramulla parliamentary seat of Jammu and Kashmir. Lone is contesting against Omar Abdullah. In 2019 the National Conference candidate Mohd Akbar Lone defeated the Peoples Conference candidate Raja Aijaz Ali by a margin of over 30,000 votes.
Lone had urged Bukhari on Saturday to extend support and defeat the National Conference from the Baramulla constituency.
On the other hand, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti Monday said that Jammu & Kashmir needs a robust voice that will stand up against the “ill-designs” of New Delhi.
She said the ongoing contest for Lok Sabha is not a fight limited to PDP or NC, rather it is a fight to raise the voice of Jammu and Kashmir to convince New Delhi that decisions taken after August 05, 2019, were “illegal” and “unconstitutional” which need to be reversed.
Addressing a public rally in Anantnag’s Bijbehara, Mehbooba said that her existence is not limited to one place. “I am not confined to one place. Bijbehara is my home town and Sirhama is my home. The people here have raised me,” Mehbooba Mufti said. She said every contest remains tough for a candidate, but the love and affection she saw and received from Anantnag to Pir Pachal are heartwarming. “I am getting reports that people have understood that they need a robust voice who will stand up to the powers in New Delhi and talk about the issues of Kashmir,” she said.
While responding to a query, she said that the ongoing Lok Sabha election contest is not a fight between Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah, rather “This is the fight to take the voice of Jammu and Kashmir to New Delhi”.
“People of Jammu & Kashmir will decide rightly while casting their votes,” Mehbooba added.
Omar Abdullah Monday targeted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti for joining the INDIA alliance to get the seat.
Mufti selfishly tried to get a seat through the doors of Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) and INDIA alliance”, Omar said during a public rally in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
Omar reminded the Kashmiris “NC and Congress urged late Mufti Mohammad Sayed to accept their support to keep BJP out of Kashmir. However, Mufti Sayeed accused NC of trying to enter their Government through backdoor”, he alleged.
Omar said that “in 2016 when Mehbooba Mufti’s Government was in shambles, NC went to Raj Bhavan and urged the Governor not to allow breaking the government as NC was aware by such tactics of distorted manners what repercussions it prevails on the people. Was that our selfishness?”, he questioned.
He said “In 2018, Mehbooba Mufti sent her party’s leader Altaf Bukhari to us for our support, proposing as CM, it was Farooq Abdullah who swiftly endorsed and signed the document without hesitation, was that our selfishness?”.
“We still remember your speeches when you said there is only Narendra Modi who can solve Kashmir’s issue but where is the solution, is there anything left without catastrophe? Our identity and existence is in danger”, he said.
Omar said when Mufti could have represented the people of Kashmir instead she jeered at them. People have not forgotten whom you rubbed the salt in their wounds.
“What you did during your tenure as Chief Minister, bring some courage to apologize to the people for that”, the NC Vice President asked.
