Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 15: Chief Minister and National Conference working president Omar Abdullah said today that upcoming Lok Sabha elections have offered ‘golden opportunity’ to the party to deflate the hype generated by the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) by defeating its president Mehbooba Mufti, who was contesting the Parliamentary polls from Anantnag-Pulwama seat.
Addressing party Ministers, legislators (both MLAs and MPs), two sitting MPs and repeat candidates from their Lok Sabha constituencies, office bearers and other senior functionaries in Srinagar this morning, Omar put all Ministers and legislators on notice by declaring that their ‘political future’ would depend on outcome of the Lok Sabha elections and, therefore, it was imperative for them to assert themselves, go to the masses and ensure victory of all three National Conference candidates in the Kashmir Valley.
Noting that PDP president Mehbooba Mufti is seeking entry to Lok Sabha from Anantnag-Pulwama Lok Sabha seat, which would go to elections on April 24, Omar said the election has offered a rare opportunity to the National Conference to defeat the main opposition party’s president in the current elections and show that even South Kashmir was a strong hold of the NC.
Pointing out that 12 out of 16 Assembly segments in South Kashmir were represented by the PDP for last over 11 years, Omar called upon the National Conference candidates and leaders to cash on anti-incumbency factor against the PDP MLAs and ensure victory of the party.
Anantnag-Pulwama Parliamentary seat would go to polls on April 24, the third phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir and first in the Valley. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti is pitted against NC’s sitting MP from the seat, Dr Mehboob Beg in Anantnag. Dr Beg is seeking second consecutive term from Anantnag seat.
Sources said Omar has appointed three Cabinet Ministers as Incharge of four districts falling in Anantnag Parliamentary seat. Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar has been appointed as Incharge of Pulwama and Shopian districts, Social Welfare Minister Sakina Itoo as Incharge Kulgam district and CAPD & Transport Minister Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan as Incharge Anantnag district.
Sources said the National Conference would name Incharge for Baramulla-Kupwara Parliamentary constituency later as this seat would go to polls on May 5. In Baramulla, NC candidate Sharief-ud-Din Shariq is seeking re-election while PDP stalwart and former Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig is the PDP nominee for the seat.
In Srinagar, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy and NC patron Dr Farooq Abdullah is pitted against PDP leader and former Finance Minister Tariq Hamid Qarra among others.
Omar said results of coming Parliamentary polls will have a bearing on the State Assembly elections.
“The upcoming Parliamentary elections is the first innings, the results of which will have a direct bearing on the second innings of Assembly polls scheduled for October-November,” he added.
Sources said Omar Abdullah made it clear to the Ministers and legislators (both MLAs and MLCs) of the National Conference that their ‘political future’ would largely depend on the outcome of upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Indicating that negative outcome from their Assembly constituencies in the Lok Sabha elections could cast shadow on their mandate, Omar said he was bringing himself also under the same formula as he too would have to ensure that the party takes lead from Ganderbal segment, which is represented by him in the Assembly. He told the meeting that Assembly segments not held by the NC would be looked after either by the MLCs of the area or the Incharge appointed for them to ensure party’s success.
It may be mentioned here that Lok Sabha elections would be followed by the Assembly elections in the State within few months. The Assembly elections could be held in October-November this year.
The Chief Minister also called for strict implementation of National Conference-Congress alliance at the grass root level for Lok Sabha elections.
“While our provincial body is campaigning for Congress candidate along with Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and PCC (I) chief Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz, we expect that the Congress would also campaign for out three candidates in the Kashmir Valley,’’ Omar said.
“Without any reservations, both parties should implement the alliance in all three regions of the State,’’ he added.
Under the alliance, National Conference and Congress are contesting three Lok Sabha seats each. Congress is contesting Jammu-Poonch, Udhampur-Doda and Ladakh seats while NC has fielded its candidates on three seats of the Kashmir Valley including Srinagar-Budgam, Baramulla-Kupwara and Anantnag-Pulwama.
Referring to the pre-poll alliance with coalition partner Congress, the Chief Minister said opposition PDP left no stone unturned to attract Congress for a pre-poll alliance and even did not announce its candidate for the North Kashmir seat.
However, PDP nominated its candidate for the North Kashmir after they were snubbed by Congress, he said.
“We voluntarily kept our support for Congress in Jammu and even joined hands with the party in their campaign. Likewise, we are expecting complete support of the Congress for our candidates from Kashmir so that we can win all the six seats to lay the foundation of the formation of new Government at the Centre,” he said.
Omar reportedly advised the party candidates and leaders to vigorously highlight creation of over 600 new administrative units in the State by the coalition Government, which would take the Government to door steps of the people.
Sources said National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah couldn’t attend today’s meeting as he was busy in New Delhi. Farooq is also seeking re-election from Srinagar-Budgam Lok Sabha seat.
He expressed the hope that the National Conference will register resounding victories in all the three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir.
The Chief Minister urged NC functionaries and workers to reach out to the people to highlight the achievements of the Government.
“You need to highlight the achievements registered by the Government over the past five years as far as the developmental scenario and prosperity is concerned,” Omar said adding the coalition Government took various historic steps to make the state economically independent and prosperous.
The Chief Minister also referred to the recent heavy snowfall and asked the party leaders and workers to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the people in this hour of crisis.
Earlier, the meeting expressed grief over the loss of lives and destruction to the property in the snowfall and appealed to the Centre and the State Government to provide adequate compensation to affected families.
The day-long meeting also discussed in detail the prevailing political situation, a party spokesman said adding the focus, however, remained on Parliamentary elections.
The meeting expressed satisfaction over the pre-poll alliance with Congress and chalked out its strategy for the campaigning.
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