The controversial decision of the Jammu & Kashmir Government to hold municipal and panchayat polls took an interesting twist on Tuesday with the Congress party’s reluctant decision to plunge into the fray. While the two regional mainstream parties — the National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) — have decided to stay away from the polls, the Congress decision to participate has changed the ground situation though the security concerns remain a major issue for the smooth conduct of the elections.
The Congress was delaying to reveal its cards and a section of its leadership was convinced that the polls would not be held due to security situation in Kashmir Valley, especially in the southern decisions. However, after the State Election Commission (SEC) decided to hold the polls, the Congress said that it would contest to keep the “communal forces” away.
Addressing a Press Conference here, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress chief Gulam Ahmad Mir said the party will not stay away from the elections to “keep the ground open for the communal forces but we will fight with full might.”
Mir urged Governor Administration to provide security to contesting candidates and peaceful atmosphere needed to be created for the smooth conduct of polls.
The NC and PDP have decided to boycott the elections as they have asked the Central Government to clear its stand on the issue of Article 35-A and take steps for its protection.
Mir said that Congress being a responsible secular force will not give safe passage to BJP. “In case we do not counter BJP-RSS, we would also be perceived as dual and opportunistic,” Mir said adding the Congress wants the elections to be free and fair. “If at some point of time, the party feels that elections are not being conducted in a fair manner, then the party after assessing the situation will have no hesitation to take a call.”
The mainstream regional parties who announced to boycott the upcoming Municipal and Panchayat polls in the state, Wednesday said that the participation of Congress in the elections won’t harm their party at the gross root level.
On Monday, the Communist Party of India (CPI) also decided against participating in view the prevailing situation in the valley. State Secretary CPI(M) Ghulam Nabi Malik said that despite the majority of mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir deciding not to participate in these polls, the announcement of the election schedule shows the “arrogance of the BJP-led Central Government”.
The PDP and NC have described the Congress decision as the party’s own that would have no bearing on their decision to stay away.
The PDP chief spokesperson Rafi Ahmad Mir said their party has thoughtfully decided to stay away from the polls.
“The decision to stay away from the polls was aimed at respecting the sentiments of people, therefore the participation of Congress and BJP in the polls won’t harm PDP at the gross root level,” Ahmad said.
The NC General Secretary and legislator Ali Muhammad Sagar said that his party has nothing to do with other parties but the party is staying away from the polls to secure the rights and special status of people living in the state.
Meanwhile, the security agencies are chalking out a proper roadmap for security in the upcoming Municipal and Panchayat polls in Kashmir.
A day after Panchayat polls were announced several attempts were made to set ablaze Panchayat Ghars at five different places in south Kashmir’s Pulwama and Shopian district since Monday.
The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) of separatist Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik while rejecting any electoral process “as a substitute to right to self-determination” reiterated its appeal to the people of Kashmir to observe a complete election boycott to the upcoming municipal and local bodies’ elections in the Jammu and Kashmir. A prominent militant organization Hizbul Mujahideen has already issued a threat warning to use sulphuric and hydrochloric acid against all contestants and the voters.
State Election Commission on Sunday announced nine phase Panchayat elections in over 35 thousand Panchayat constituencies beginning November 17 in the State. Similarly, the four phase Municipal polls have been scheduled next month beginning October 8.