The release of jailed MP Sheikh Rashid ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections has triggered political turmoil, with regional parties National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expressing concerns about his potential impact on the electoral landscape.
Senior leaders from the INDIA bloc, including Congress, Samajwadi Party, CPI-M, and others, gathered in New Delhi on June 1 to strategize for the vote counting scheduled on June 4. The meeting was held amid ongoing elections in the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
In the sixth phase of the General Election in Jammu and Kashmir, the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency recorded a significant voter turnout of 53% till 5 p.m., marking the second-highest percentage in J&K history. However, the process was marred by protests and accusations of “tactical rigging” by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti. Mufti alleged that hundreds of her polling agents and workers were detained to suppress voter turnout, raising concerns about the fairness of the election.
The Srinagar Lok Sabha seat is poised for a significant shift in mainstream politics, with ideology taking center stage in the upcoming May 13 election. Former allies National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are engaged in a fierce battle, while J&K Apni Party has also fielded a candidate. The election marks a shift from the traditional slogan of ‘sadak, bijli, pani’ to a focus on political ideologies. Both the NC and the PDP have fielded candidates known for their ideological opposition to the BJP’s move to end J&K’s special constitutional position in 2019.
PDP candidate Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra clarified his reference to a ‘referendum’ as highlighting the importance of the election, not promoting secession. Meanwhile, the administration has granted permission for NC candidate Omar Abdullah to hold rallies in Baramulla despite initial concerns over security.
On Wednesday, two candidates from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) filed their nomination papers for the upcoming Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, raising the total number of candidates to 17. Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra of the PDP and Muhammad Ashraf Mir of the JKAP formally submitted their nominations in Srinagar, accompanied by senior party officials and supporters.
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has advised voters in Jammu and Kashmir to support the INDIA alliance candidates in all five Lok Sabha seats, alleging that the Mehbooba Mufti-led People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has entered into an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as its ‘C team’.
