With the arrival of the Chief of Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) and Parliamentarian from Baramulla, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, in Kashmir Valley on Thursday the mainstream political parties may have to recalibrate their poll strategy to nullify its impact on their traditional vote bank in the run-up to the first phase of polling on September 18.
Rashid, lodged in Tihar jail since August 2019, was granted interim bail till October 2 in the terror funding case on Wednesday.
Soon after stepping out of the Tihar jail in New Delhi on Wednesday Sheikh Abdul Rashid announced his party intends to contest between 35 to 40 seats in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections without forming coalitions with any political party.
Around three dozen candidates have filed their nomination papers from different assembly constituencies in Kashmir Valley.
His presence during the campaign period is set to boost the poll prospects of his party candidates.
On the other hand, it may also force the other key players to calibrate their campaign strategy to counter his campaign, especially in his strong bastion of North Kashmir.
Rashid's party emerged ahead of National Conference during the Lok Sabha polls on at least 14 Assembly segments. He handed over a crushing defeat to former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah by a margin of over 2 lakh votes.
As was expected, soon after landing in Srinagar, Rashid played to the galleries at every step. Moving out of the airport premises, he deboarded from his four-wheeler and went on his knees to kiss Mother Earth.
Returning home after more than five years in prison, Rashid, in his first remarks said no one needs peace more than the people of Kashmir but they want it on their conditions and not on terms set by the Centre.
“We want to tell (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi that no one needs peace more than we do. But that peace will come at our conditions, not yours.
Expressing gratitude to his supporters who had assembled outside the airport to welcome him, the Baramulla MP said he wants to convey to the people of Kashmir that they are not weak at all.
“The people of Kashmir will win as the people of Jammu and Kashmir are on the path of truth.
He later drove straight to Delina, Baramulla where he addressed a public rally. In his trademark style, Rashid attempted to woo the jubilant crowd amid loud slogan shouting and passionate cheering.
He called for an end to imprisoning Kashmiris in Tihar Jail while urging the centre to resolve the Kashmir issue once and for all.
“Tihar bhejna bandh karo, Kashmir ka masla hal karo.” (Stop sending us to Tihar, resolve Kashmir’s issue), he said as his supporters kept cheering. Later addressing a press conference Sheikh Abdul Rashid claimed his party would extend full support to the INDIA alliance if it brought a resolution about restoration of Article 370 in the Parliament.
“Let me clarify this. If the INDIA alliance gives me written assurance that it will introduce a resolution in the Parliament about restoration of Article 370, I along with my party leaders will extend full support to it,”
Seeking people's support Rashid appealed to the people to give him at least 40 seats in the upcoming elections in J&K.
Targeting the National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah, Er Rashid said that the NC has released a detailed manifesto promising this and that. “Why couldn’t the party do the same when they were in power,” he asked.
He also attacked PDP chief Mehbooa Mufti continuously. Rashid said that it was the then PDP patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed who said that voting for PDP was a must to stop BJP’s entry into J&K. “Then what happened? The same PDP provided a launching pad to BJP who bulldozed our dreams,” Er Rashid said.
