B L Saraf
Election is over :people’s verdict is out. Soon, a Government will be in place. This election will be remembered for the peaceful manner it was conducted in, fairness, transparency, huge voter turnout and a swashbuckling electioneering by the high profile political players. It marked true celebration of the democracy. While celebrations are due, it is time for a dispassionate and unbiased appreciation of the lessons thrown up by the Election, 2014. Number of political characters played part in the exercise. For some it became a flop show; for others, who came with a high promise, it turned out a side show and some, who made a shaky entry, came out with their reputation, fairly, intact.
For minor parties and most of the ‘honourable’ members of outgoing Government it was a flop show. May be, this time, electors had delineated issues likely to confront them in times ahead, that for addressing them they saw on role for these characters. Given the way the politics of the governance went on in the last decade and what is required in the coming times, choice of the voters, exercised in this regard, cannot be faulted.
The election result will not cheer up Mufti Sayeed. On the contrary, he is placed in a quandary. He and his party went to the polls with high hopes, expectations and great atmosphere in their favour. The outcome of the election brings home few bitter truths to the father-daughter duo, which should compel them to analyse why with so much effort and, comparatively, efficient political management they could just add six seats to their earlier tally of MLAs. The electoral losses suffered in the traditional constituencies like Devsar, Phalgam, Bandipora, Homshalibug and Shangus do not augur well for the future of PDP.
Perception wise, PDP was well ahead of its adversaries. Election outcome, however, reveals a mismatch between perception and the reality. Should, then, we conclude that accretion to the PDP’s earlier tally was more due to anti-incumbency factor, against the ruling combine, than much hyped Mufti wave.
This aspect needs to be examined. PDP will have to search for the reasons why it couldn’t make inroads in Jammu.
No doubt, the election result has put Mufti Sayeed in a position where every political party will have a covetous eye on him. He may well be our next CM, heading a coalition, with a political party, which he would have desired least. In real terms, PDP’s failure to form a Government of choice to deliver upon ‘cherished’ agenda, without coalition compulsions, may turn its victory into an ultimate defeat. How to manage the affairs of governance and retain chances of renewal of the mandate, six years hence, may be nightmarish prospect for Mufti- Mehbooba duo. Certainly, Mufti and the PDP can’t be in a celebrating mood.
The verdict has given BJP a cause to celebrate. Some would attribute BJP’s good performance to the so called polarising politics. But, in fact, it is the developmental image of PM Narrandra Modi which made the party a factor in the state’s political scenario and a serious contender for the power. This image has started to penetrate the Valley’s political discourse, with quite a number of takers there for. It is for the BJP’s local managers to retain the honour, and allow it to traverse, hitherto, unchartered path in Valley and the Pir Panchal belt.
Omar Abdullah and NC had everything going against them when they joined the election battle. Observers had nearly written them off.
Omar Abdullah Government, formed in coalition with INC, had run into a rough water from the very day. Coupled with his lack of experience in the matters of governance, coalition politics seriously dented his capabilities to deliver. Just taking over reins of the state, bells began to toll for Omar and his party. 2010 marked a watershed. The year witnessed hundreds of young bleeding to death on the roads of Srinagar. Though the separatist politics played a dirty part in the traged, Omar for the lack of his political and administrative acumen had to bear the public wrath ; so intense that a countdown of his fall from the high seat got under way, soon. September, 2014 floods came as the proverbial last nail in the NC’s political coffin. Then, started a procession of deserters. Like rats smelling the impending disaster and jumping the ship, Abdullah’s trusted colleagues betrayed him. Congress, too, ditched him midstream, though to the party’s own peril. To top the list of the miseries, the ebullient Farooq Abdullah fell ill and incapacitated to campaign for the NC. So, Omar was the lone ranger to steer his ship. To his credit, he has saved it from sinking. Probably, NC’s deep anchorage in the minds and hearts of common Kashmiris helped him. Winning two seats in Jammu district added value to his effort. Omar braved poll ‘Tsunami’ and retained 17 seats out of the 28 he had in the previous Assembly, placing him in a position where ‘suitors’ queue up before him for a political marriage.
In snatching victory from the jaws of a certain defeat, Omar Abdulah is a winner in the political arena, despite losing CM’s post. He may thus qualify to be a hero. But Jury is still out for him to pronounce the verdict. However, there is no contest in declaring an ordinary elector of J&K a real ” Hero” of the Election – 2014.
(The author is former Principal District & Sessions Judge)
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