Mir Farhat
SRINAGAR, Nov 21: Having no political lineage, many young, literate candidates in the Kashmir are up against the political stalwarts who have held top berths in the State’s power-politics.
Contributing colour to the poll scape, these aspirants from simple family backgrounds are rivaling against political bigwigs.
Iftikhar Hussain Misger, whose political fortune shone after National Conference’s Mehboob Beg switched sides to his erstwhile rival People’s Democratic Party, holds an MBA from Bangalore’s BMS Engineering Colleges.
Misger left a handsome-paid job in Banglore and joined politics to “serve people of his state.”
Fielded by NC, he is in a tough contesting against State’s former Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed in high-profile south Kashmir’s Anantnag segment, which is considered the bastion of PDP.
Back home, Misger joined politics in 2005 and fought as an independent candidate in 2008 Assembly elections, and stood fourth in getting votes.
“I don’t belong to a political family. But I joined politics to help people in my area as they have been neglected by their representatives,” he said.
Misger’s leap into NC was only after he was “impressed and fascinated by the leadership” of Omar Abdullah.
Being now in a party which is dominated by the Sheikh clan, Misger says NC’s contribution to the development of the State is “immense”.
“The party has held the State together since 1947, and stopped it from being disintegrated from the forces who are in the field now,” he said while, pointing to the BJP and PDP’s “region-based and polarizing politics.”
Even though he is in a tough contest against PDP’s patron Mufti, Misger dismisses his rival’s political opponent posing any threat to him.
“I don’t consider Mufti Sayeed as threat because the common man in Anantnag is disappointed with him. He has not visited his people after they elected him in 2008. The constituency has not developed as people had hoped from Mufti,” he said.
Another management graduate, Ashraf Mir of PDP, will lock horns with ruling Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in Sonawar, after the Sheikh-scion decided to leave family fort, Ganderbal, and contest from here.
Yawar Masoodi, son of Justice Hasnain Masoodi, is a law graduate, who worked in New Delhi for two years before deciding to follow his passion for politics.
“When you are at decision-making level you can play a role in shaping the society,” said Yawar, whom NC has fielded against sitting legislator, Zahoor Mir of PDP from Pampore.
Yawar is also the party’s organizer for south Kashmir for youth wing.
Yawar’s said his decision to join NC was based after “studying the historic role played by it in shaping the future” of Jammu and Kashmir.
Follow our WhatsApp channel