Srinagar/Jammu: Omar Abdullah, leader of the National Conference, and Mehbooba Mufti, president of the PDP, urged the Election Commission not to delay the polls in the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency. Both former chief ministers made this plea subsequent to the EC’s request for a report from Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo and the Chief Electoral Officer regarding submissions made by certain parties and three candidates, advocating for the rescheduling of elections in the area due to adverse weather conditions, including snowfall on the Mughal road.
Abdullah expressed, “I implore the EC to abstain from such an action. The clamor for postponement does not represent all parties. It’s peculiar that some individuals who have corresponded with the EC are not even contesting. Should I address the EC concerning constituencies in Tamil Nadu, would they heed?” He conveyed this during a press briefing in Srinagar.
Addressing reporters in the Surankote region of Poonch district, Mehbooba articulated, “They have united against me because they are averse to my presence in Parliament. People from diverse backgrounds, irrespective of religious or political affiliations, are rallying behind me, and hence, they are resorting to the Election Commission to delay and manipulate the elections.”
She further added, “I traversed the Mughal road, recently opened for traffic. There exists no rationale for deferring voting in the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency. I urge the Election Commission not to postpone the elections when merely 10 days remain until polling. Such a move would convey a negative message and could yield severe repercussions.” She made these remarks before departing for Mendhar town to continue her campaign.
Mehbooba cited the alleged electoral malpractice during the 1987 assembly elections, which precipitated the insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir, asserting, “We beseech the Election Commission against such ventures, as the people of Jammu and Kashmir have endured considerably and harbor little trust in the electoral process. Former Prime Minister AB Vajpayee had to reassure the people of Jammu and Kashmir regarding free and fair elections from the Red Fort’s ramparts, and now they (BJP) seek to sully it once more. They have already deprived the people of Jammu and Kashmir of much, leaving them only with a vote. They endeavor to replicate the events of 1987, which resulted in bloodshed and transformed the valley into a graveyard.”
She remarked that they initially altered the Anantnag parliamentary constituency, manipulating delimitation to skew the elections in their favor. “Are they oblivious to the fact that the Mughal road typically remains closed for six months, yet they connected portions on either side of Pir Panjal solely to manipulate elections? Such practices are unparalleled elsewhere in the country,” she exclaimed.
She also noted the financial prowess of the BJP, capable of deploying helicopters in support of their favored candidates. “We are the sole party lacking resources, and our workers have been funding the campaign from their own pockets for the past 25 days, a feat we cannot sustain for another 20 days if the polls are postponed.”
Responding to concerns about the potential postponement of polls in Anantnag-Rajouri, Union Minister Jitendra Singh affirmed that the EC is an independent body, and whatever decision it arrives at regarding elections in the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency will be respected by the BJP.
The Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency is slated for polls in the third phase on May 7, determining the fate of 21 candidates, including Mehbooba, who faces a significant challenge from National Conference leader and former minister Mian Altaf. DPAP’s Mohammad Saleem Parray and Apni Party’s Zafar Iqbal Manhas are also contenders, while the BJP has abstained from fielding any candidate and is contemplating support for a candidate unaffiliated with Congress, NC, and PDP.
Those submitting representations to the EC include J-K BJP chief Ravinder Raina, Apni party president Altaf Bukhari, DPAP candidate, Peoples Conference leader Imran Reza Ansari, and two independent candidates. Meanwhile, Vikar Rasool Wani, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee, alleged that the BJP and its affiliates have approached the Election Commission due to the impending defeat they face from the INDIA alliance candidate.
The Congress is endorsing the National Conference in the constituency as part of a seat-sharing agreement among INDIA bloc partners. “I am not surprised by the recent actions of BJP and its affiliates. They have once again validated my assertions by rallying under the directive of the ‘Big Boss’ in Nagpur. They are aware of the imminent defeat in the Rajouri-Anantnag Parliamentary Segment, as the INDIA (bloc) is poised for a resounding victory,” Wani stated. Despite their efforts to reschedule the polling date and employ various tactics, the INDIA alliance is poised for victory nonetheless.