The emergence of “Third Front” on the political firmament of Kashmir in run up to the Parliament and Assembly elections is unlikely to ruffle the traditional stakeholders of mainstream politics in the embattled Valley.
All the leaders of this Front are either spent forces or expendable entities struggling to delay the dusk of their political career.
The maiden show of this Front at the lawns of Srinagar’s Municipal Park on November 30 was not too impressive. For some of the leaders who have represented their constituencies uninterruptedly for nearly two decades, such a turnout at the rally was definitely not a show of strength.
Interestingly, the leaders christened their grouping as “People’s United Front” or Awami Mutahidda Mahaz. They stressed on the last two words of the new name to reminisce the bygone Muslim United Front (MUF) that shook the castles of National Conference (NC) way back in 1987. Many believe that MUF could have emerged as the largest political group in elections held on March 23, 1987 but for the massive rigging and electoral malpractices carried out at that time.
That election changed the course of history in Kashmir and those who were candidates or involved in canvassing took up arms to challenge Indian rule in Kashmir.
Syed Salahuddin who heads the United Jehad Council now, was that time known by his real name Muhammad Yousuf Shah who fought assembly election as MUF candidate from Amira Kadal constituency. He was winning but the results were reversed in favour of NC candidate.Kashmir still possesses a bigger chunk of electorate that showed allegiance to MUF in 1987.
This segment got disillusioned in the electoral politics by the way their verdict was dishonoured and they eventually supported the subsequent developments including the emergence of armed insurgency and a sustained boycott of elections as and when they were held in Kashmir since 1989.
With the exception of NC and the Congress, most of the pro-India or mainstream political parties in Kashmir are struggling to woo this “disillusioned chunk” to take part in elections. It indicates that this portion of electorate has the potential to bring about a change.
The birth of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 1998 from Congress’ womb was the first serious effort in this direction.Mufti Muhammad Sayeed who deserted the Congress that he had nourished for most of his political career, set out to address this “disillusioned chunk”.
Mufti began talking about resolution of Kashmir issue and craftily tried to associate his party with the disgruntled lot of 1987. It is not know how he received the favour but practically his party applied for election symbol of qalam dawat (pen and inkpot) and got it.