Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency to vote on May 13
Kashmir Valley is set to witness an intense poll battle with the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat going to the polls in the fourth phase of polling on May 13.
After the Abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, it is the first major electoral battle in the region.
The Election Commission authorities are hoping for a healthy voter turnout in the absence of any poll boycott call from any quarter.
The regional players in the valley including the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have vigorously campaigned issuing appeals to the voters to come out and vote in large numbers.
Despite ensuring foolproof security and elaborate arrangements to woo the electorate to the polling booths the Election Commission will be facing the biggest challenge of improving the voter turnout on ground zero.
Kashmir Valley witnessed low voter turnout due to trust deficit and a variety of reasons in the past. Poll boycott calls and security concerns figured high on the list.
Election Commission expects healthy voter turnout in Srinagar
Post Abrogation of Article 370 as the law and order situation has witnessed a sea change and the graph of terrorist-related violence has also come down, the Election Commission authorities have been expecting a healthy voter turnout on Monday.
In 2019, less than 15 percent voter turnout was recorded in the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.
Around 90 polling booths had recorded zero voter turnout.
Srinagar to witness a triangular contest
The high-profile Lok Sabha seat, won by Dr Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference in 2019, will witness a triangular contest.
A little over 14 percent voter turnout was recorded in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Dr Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference defeated his rival candidate of the PDP by a margin of over 70,000 votes.
The two rival candidates of the I.N.D.I.A bloc, belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and JKNC, is locked in a close contest with Mohd Ashraf Mir of the Jammu and Kashmir APNI party.
National Conference has fielded Shia leader Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi while PDP has given its mandate to a young icon Waheed Ur Rehman Para.
The Election Commission of India has enrolled an estimated number of 17.47 lakh voters to decide the fate of 24 candidates in the fray for the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.
PDP, JKNC candidates demanded free and fair polls
Ahead of the final polling day, the two contesting candidates belonging to the JKNC and PDP Sunday leveled serious charges against the local administration for harassing their party workers.
The contesting candidates also appealed to the Prime Minister and Home Minister of India to intervene to ensure free and fair polls in the valley.
National Conference candidate for the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency Aga Ruhullah Mehdi on Sunday posted a message on X (earlier Twitter):
“Our workers are being picked up by the police since yesterday. I got a call from a senior colleague like A R Rather sb informing me about the arrests of our workers from Chrarsharif. Similar calls from the colleagues from Khansahab and Chadoora. Would the @ECISVEEP please care to explain these arrests,” Mehdi, an influential Shia leader, posted on X.
He called for the immediate release of his party workers and also those of the PDP.
Our workers are being picked up by the police since yesterday. I got a call from a senior colleague like A R Rather sb informing me about the arrests of our workers from Chrarsharif. Similar calls from the colleagues from Khansahab and Chadoora. Would the @ECISVEEP please care to…
— Ruhullah Mehdi (@RuhullahMehdi) May 12, 2024
PDP candidate for Srinagar Lok Sabha seat Waheed Ur Rehman Para alleged that some officials in the Jammu and Kashmir administration were trying to manipulate the Lok Sabha polls.
Without naming anyone, Para — a youth leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) — said the events are akin to the “rigging” of elections in 1987.
The 1987 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections are widely perceived to have been rigged, with the Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference sweeping the polls.
In another post, Para alleged police had arrested his party’s polling agents.
“Sad to see police arresting and unlawfully detaining polling agents of the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party in the Central Kashmir parliament constituency,” he said.
Dear @PMOIndia and @HMOIndia,
Actions of certain officials influenced by one political party are reminiscent of the mistakes made by Congress and NC in 1987. Arrests, harassment, and raids on pdp workers undermine the essence of democracy. We demand free and fair elections.…— Waheed Para (@parawahid) May 11, 2024
Rigging, arresting, and raiding our workers, alongside enforcing boycotts in PDP areas, blatantly contradicts national interests and fuels serious trust deficit. Those officials responsible for such actions are betraying Indian interests and extinguishing the hopes of Kashmir…
— Waheed Para (@parawahid) May 12, 2024
In the past, Kashmir has experienced boycotts at the behest of separatists. Today, we’re witnessing a similar scenario, with an IPS officer of ADGP rank, Mr. Vijay Kumar, allegedly directing officials to minimize voter turnout by detaining, harassing our workers. Such actions…
— Waheed Para (@parawahid) May 12, 2024
Domination of the JKNC and PDP will end: Tarun Chugh
The BJP on Sunday said the elections in the Valley will end the domination of the National Conference and People’s Democratic Party in the region.
BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh Sunday claimed that the Narendra Modi government’s development initiatives following the abrogation of Article 370 coupled with peace in the region have ensured that people are looking beyond family-run parties like the two regional outfits besides the Congress.
”These parties are responsible for all the turmoil Jammu and Kashmir went through right from the 90s when terrorism erupted and lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits had to flee their homes.
”People know that be it the PDP, NC, or the Congress, their concerns are not the priority of these parties as they only want to perpetuate their family rule,” said Chugh.
Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.
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