SRINAGAR, Nov 14:
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti today said the power of vote has brought about a total change in the political scenario of the Jammu and Kashmir as Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, sensing the mood of the people in Ganderabl constituency ran away in pursuit of “safe” seats elsewhere.
“It is only because of the power of the vote and inability to deliver during the last six years that Omar Abdullah did not dare to contest assembly elections from his ‘home turf’, Ganderbal,” she said while addressing various roadside meetings in Kangan assembly constituency in Ganderbal district.
Ms Mehbooba said the proper exercise of vote has institutionalised political accountability and people’s audit never as before in the state. “Nobody can take the people for granted now and Omar Abdullah’s decision of not contesting elections from Ganderbal constituency is the most telling example of politicians becoming accountable to their electorate,” she said.
The PDP Chief said Ganderbal district along with rest of the state has already given its verdict against National Conference (NC) when it voted overwhelmingly against Dr Farooq Abdullah in this year’s Lok Sabha elections.
“By voting against NC in the LS polls the entire Ganderbal district has set a trend for a bigger change to happen later this year in the state,” she said. Having secured a minor lead in just six assembly segments in LS polls it is obvious that NC can in no case emerge as a player of any consequence in the assembly elections, she added.
She said the people of the J&K have now got politically emancipated and sensitive and they know well who is going to do justice with their mandate.
Mehbooba said the upcoming elections to the state assembly would be a test for the people of J&K, as they would be not only giving a verdict on Omar Abdullah led Government, but they would have to wisely decide about what the next six years which can have a lasting impact on the special identity of J&K, in view of the changed political equations in the state and at the national level.
Mehbooba said like other parts of the State, winds of change are blowing both in Kangan and Ganderbal constituencies and it indicates that J&K is heading for better, peaceful times.
She said the whole district is endowed with unparallelled natural beauty but it has so-far remained untapped with the result its benefits have not reached to the people.
The PDP President said eco-fragile scenic spot- Sonmarg has been devastated by illegal constructions and it has been turned into a concrete jungle without any benefit to the locals. “It is unfortunate that the ecology of the entire area has been vandalized during past six years.
Instead of assisting the local youth to setup eco friendly employment generating units, the pristine locations in Sonmarg and in entire Sindh Valley were allowed to be destroyed to accommodate favorites and middlemen,” she said adding destruction of Sonmarg is serious crime against the state.
Mehbooba said once voted to form the Government PDP would promote eco-friendly tourism projects and encourage high end tourism that will bring in more returns without any damage to the local environment. (AGENCIES)
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