Failed in leaving impact on public, few opportunist leaders want reservation of Poonch Haveli constituency for Women/ST
POONCH TODAY NEWS
POONCH: Although, the possibility of assembly elections in J&K UT is not much clear right now, but few leaders of Poonch district, who are known for shifting loyalties for their self interest and also failed in leaving impact on public, now want reservation of Poonch Haveli seat, either for a women candidate or for a ST candidate, but this is not going to happen. Going by the percentage of votes in Poonch haveli constituency, it’s difficult for a ST candidate to win comfortably, because this constituency has a large chunk of Pahari votes. During the last three decades, this Poonch haveli seat was won mostly by a Pahari candidate, but eyeing their self interest, few leaders, who were once affiliated with National Conference and enjoyed a lot, backstabbed Abdullah’s for their future political prospects, now approaching different quarters in government eyeing reservation from haveli seat which is impossible by all means. Even few women leaders have already started visiting various areas of Poonch haveli constituency, day dreaming of women reservation from haveli seat. A former PDP minister, who reportedly has money in several crores deposited in a foreign bank, now an Apni party member, has been encouraging these women leaders on social media and this signal is saying something from Apni party in favour of those leaders. The same strategy is being played by some leaders from ST community who are also working overtime for getting reservation from Poonch haveli seat, knowing fully that they have an upper hand in Surankote and Mendhar, but only Surankote seat may get reservation in favour of a ST candidate, as per highly placed sources in administration. In Surankote and Mendhar constituencies, ST leaders are strong and last assembly election of 2014 proved this, but as far as Poonch haveli constituency is concerned, Pahari leaders have an edge. From Poonch haveli constituency, none of the women leaders can win, because people have enough experience of having failed women leaders while on chair. In Surankote constituency, Mushtaq Bhukhari and Ch Shahnawaz are powerful voices while Ch Akram, who lost DDC elections, may try hard next time. While in Mendhar, people may witness a tough competition between possible candidates like Ch Ashfaq, Imran Zafar, Dr Shazad Ahmed and Adv Maroof Khan in addition of few new comers. On the other hand, Nadeem Rafiq lost DDC elections and Javed Rana, who lost DDC election for his son, are struggling hard to regain lost touch with the people. In Poonch haveli constituency, Pardeep Sharma, Yashpaul Sharma, Riaz Choudhary, Jahangir Mir, Taj Mir, Ch Abdul Gani, Ajaz Jan and Shamim Ganai are considered as powerful voices for next election. On the other hand, Shah Mohd Tantray and Dr Shenaz were also powerful to some extent, but both of them had lost DDC elections and their chances of showing good performance again are not so high because of losing their political aura to a significant extent. Poonch Haveli constituency is likely to be dominated by a Pahari candidate, but those leaders with doubtful credentials who are working overtime for reservation of Haveli seat for women or for ST likely to get nothing as far as reservation is concerned, because political history of haveli constituency is not by their side. Poor performance of women elected leaders after BDC and DDC elections is in front of all and going by the present political scenario, no body is ready to stand in assembly elections with a women candidates because of their many inefficiencies, particularly from Haveli constituency, feel political observers. Things about elections are not yet clear, but every political leader has started playing moves for the future. Only time will tell what would happen in future, but one thing is sure that people want to see a visionary face and not old selected and rejected faces having nothing to show as their achievement, while on chair. As Poonch leaders are known as “Tanki Bathroom” leaders for showing no vision for developing Poonch district over the years, but another shocking factor is that few emerging young leaders also have the same quality of lack of vision and poor political character. This visionary leadership deficit in Poonch is not a good sign for this border district which always got step motherly treatment from government as far as development was concerned. Only a visionary and deserving face can bring fortunes for this district, else, people are bound to suffer for more decades.
