Even as the BJP is fielding candidates in three Parliamentary constituencies in Kashmir, the bickering on distribution of mandate has not been avoidable. On Wednesday, the party dumped its proposed candidate for Srinagar-Budgam constituency and chose a senior worker to contest instead.
Arif Raja had been finalised by the BJP’s high command to contest from Srinagar but before he filed his nomination papers, the party leadership side-stepped him and recalled and old worker Fayaz Ahmad Bhat to contest from the prestigious seat where National Conference-Congress coalition has fielded Union Minister Farooq Abdullah to seek re-election.
Raja was a resident of old Srinagar while Bhat belongs to south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. “Arif Raja was shown exit because the party cannot tolerate indiscipline,” a Kashmir Affairs leader of the party said.
Bhat has contested election on BJP ticket in 1999. He said that he was called by the party high command to contest from Srinagar and he did not decline the offer. Meanwhile, Arif Raja told reporters that he declined to contest from Srinagar after the BJP’s poll manifesto proposing abrogation of Article 370 was made public.
“I am from Old City Srinagar and I won’t let any party to play with the sentiments of people of Kashmir by talking about the abrogation of Article 370,” he said.
Bhat said that the sanctity of Artcile 370 has been trampled by the ruling National Conference and it has lost even its symbolic value. “There is no need to have an Act that doesn’t exist in letter and spirit”, he told The Pioneer.
Meanwhile, Opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Tarid Hameed Qarra and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) candidate Rashid Rahil filed their nomination papers from Srinagar constituency.