Is the BJP committing political suicide by supporting a “Parachute” candidate for the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat? NC, PDP strong; Paharis adamant
SALIL RAINA
(POONCH TODAY NEWS)
POONCH: The newly created Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat has become the most debatable and powerful seat for all the political parties as names of political heavyweights like Mehbooba Mufti, Mian Altaf, Ravinder Raina, a serving IAS officer, plus some more names are in the media limelight, but the latest things that are happening behind the curtains in the shape of the BJP supporting former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad have confused the pahari voters as they have started saying that the BJP leadership has no faith in paharis, and this is the reason that they are planning to support Ghulam Nabi Azad in the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat.
As the Chief Minister of the erstwhile state of J&K, Ghulam Nabi Azad did a marvelous job. Even during his long political career at the center during Congress rule, he was the architect of various developmental initiatives in J&K in particular and the whole country in general, but standing time and again against paharis earlier is now proving costly for him as a strong impression has been generated among paharis voters that they will not vote for him if the BJP decides to support Ghulam Nabai Azad on this seat. Paharis, who fought heavily for getting ST status for over four decades, said that they would not tolerate the BJP giving them a “parachute” candidate, and that too Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was the main person who stood between paharis and ST status for decades. A video statement of the former minister from Mendhar, Late Rafiq Khan, is available with “POONCH TODAY,” in which the late leader categorically narrated everything about how the tall political leader of Indian politics played gimmicks against paharis. The other day, former MLC Murtaza Khan, during an interview with a portal, also said that paharis are ready to support any BJP candidate, but not Ghulam Nabi Azad. Moreover, at the ground level, paharis are openly saying that they are ready to pay back the BJP through votes to any candidate, whether that candidate is BJP president Ravinder Raina, a serving IAS officer, or any other powerful name, but not Ghulam Nabi Azad, who always stood against the paharis. A prominent pahari leader, pleading anonymity, told “POONCH TODAY,” “Some leaders of Congress, when in power, were ready to grant ST status to paharis years ago, but time and again, it was Azad sahib who played his role against paharis, and it was not expected from a leader of his caliber. No doubt, he is a mass leader, who did a lot for J&K in his various capacities as a Chief Minister and as a Union Minister various times, but standing against the interests of paharis irked our tribe badly.” The Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency has eighteen assembly constituencies, with eleven in the Kashmir division and seven in the Jammu division. Mehbooba Mufti and Mian Altaf are considered heavyweights in this seat, but there are also reports that the BJP was also considering rope in a serving IAS officer who has served in both divisions on important postings and has huge public support behind him because of his work. But the latest political developments behind the curtains are saying that some BJP leaders want to support Ghulam Nabi Azad on this, and if that happens, the BJP may face trouble during assembly elections as the huge chunk of pahari voters who have made up their minds to vote for the BJP may slip away during assembly elections that are due this year. Leaving Ghulam Nabi Azad, the BJP is in the race for a tough contest with the PDP and NC if both parties announce Mehbooba Mufti and Mian Altaf as their candidates. Omar Abdullah was also seen time and again focusing on this seat, and there are clear indications that the National Conference and PDP want to win this seat, but if the BJP decides to support Ghulam Nabi Azad, then the BJP has already come out of context going by the response of the pahari leaders. A seventy-two-year-old pahari, Manzoor Ahmed, while talking to “POONCH TODAY,” said, “The status of Azad sahib is very high. He is a national leader and should not risk his powerful legacy in this seat. Even if he wins this seat, then his victory will give huge trouble to the BJP during assembly elections as it will create confusion among the minds of voters, especially paharis. So it would be better for the BJP to announce its candidate and fight tooth and nail against the NC and PDP, and at the same time, save the legacy of Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is the national treasurer of the country. The statement of various pahari leaders is a clear indication that an adequate percentage of paharis have made up their minds to support a BJP candidate in the shape of Ravinder Raina, a serving IAS officer, if roped in, or any other strong BJP leader but not Ghulam Nabi Azad. Though none of the political parties have announced their candidates officially, going by the ground conditions, the National Conference and PDP are strong on this seat right now, but the candidate selection from the BJP will make the picture more clear, and only that will show the prospects of the saffron brigade as far as victory is concerned. The paharis are adamant on this issue, and it would be a tough task for the saffron brigade to take an appropriate decision as any slight mistake will prove that the saffron party has committed political suicide in both elections, especially for its strong prospects in the assembly elections that are due this year.