First time after relinquishing separatist politics, a faction of People’s Conference (PC) has fielded candidates for the Assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir. The PC has a legacy of swinging between pro-India and separatist politics and its two factions led each by siblings Sajjad lone and Bilal Gani lone pursue conflicting ideologies.
The faction led by Sajjad lone on Sunday announced to field candidates in 17 constituencies, mostly in north Kashmir’s Kupwara, Bandipora and Baramulla districts. The candidates include faction’s chairman Sajjad lone, who is contesting from Handwara constituency. Sajjad had announced to plunge into electoral politics in 2008 but he withdrew at the eleventh hour after a massive public uprising shattered peace in J&K in the aftermath of Amarnath land row. However, he revisited his decision of poll-boycott and contested 2009 parliamentary polls from Baramulla constituency. He, however, failed to cruise through. Sajjad fielded his candidates in the recent lok Sabha polls and was encouraged by gaining a fair share of votes in a few north Kashmir segments.
The PC is the legacy of former All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) executive council member Abdul Gani lone, who was assassinated by separatist militants on May 21, 2001. Senior lone was a shrewd politician who contested elections and was elected to legislative Assembly several times. A former Minister, lone changed the course of his politics in early 1990s and to separatist APHC. Until his killing, he was the member of the highest decision making body of the separatist amalgam.
After their father’s death, lone two sons started off their political career as separatists but Sajjad lone was expelled from Hurriyat in 2003 after he fielded proxy candidates in 2002 elections. The APHC is opposed to electoral politics and has consistently resented elections held under Indian management. Some separatist groups and leaders engage in anti-election campaign and the authorities detain or arrest them under this pretext.
Bilal lone, however, continued his alliance with APHC. like his father, he is one of the executive members of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq-led moderate faction of Hurriyat.
Sajjad lone has fielded 17 candidates in various north Kashmir constituencies. Observers say that he can himself give a tough fight to ruling National Conference candidate Chowdhary Ramzan in Handwara and his candidates in lolab, langate, Kupwara and Karnah segments have potential to impact the results.