J&K Assembly Elections: Kashmir's Old And New Parties Are Rearing To Go

While the National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah welcomed the announcement by ECI to announce Assembly Elections in J&K after a gap of 10 years, saying “better late than never” the People's Democratic Party described the ECI announcement as an opportunity that must be availed. The Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) of Engineer Rashid said they are ready to contest the polls, and that they will fight in the maximum number of seats.

Abdullah said his party was all set to contest the upcoming Assembly elections, as scheduled by the ECI in three phases beginning 18 September, and that the NC’s “manifesto is ready”.

“We will fight. We have our manifesto ready. We are not used to preparing for elections at such a short notice but we are ready," Abdullah added.

When asked about rising militancy in Jammu and its impact on the polls, he said: “When elections could be held in 1996, why not now?”

However, he said that his party was formally writing to the Election Commission of India to investigate the transfers that happened in J&K in the previous 24 hours. He said several officers were transferred suddenly, and that his party was apprehensive that these transfers were made to benefit the “B and C teams of the BJP”. He added that in the last few years, the security of some leaders has been reduced and withdrawn. “We request the ECI to give orders and ensure that their security is restored,” he said.

About possible alliances, Omar said those that fought elections against his party in the recent past and "even hurled insults at us, we don’t think we will be able to enter an alliance with them." "But let’s see, let elections happen. They slammed doors shut on us, not the NC,” he added.

PDP senior leader Naeem Akhtar said this would be an election that may not have many consequences on the ground. "It will only normalise our disempowerment. Despite that it is an opportunity which we cannot let go. We have to participate in this election, just to convey our dissatisfaction with what has been done to Jammu and Kashmir since August 5, 2019 through daily orders," Akhtar said.

Earlier, the ECI announced that voting for 90 seats in Jammu and Kashmir will take place in three phases; first phase to be held on September 18, second on September 25 and the last one on October 1.

After 1987-1988, this is the first time that the elections in J&K are being conducted in such a short number of phases.

The Awami Itehad Party (AIP) leader and chief spokesman Firdous Baba told Outlook that his party was happy with the announcement. He said the party would continue the momentum it saw in the general elections.

The AIP, led by incarcerated parliamentarian Engineer Rashid, stunned political pundits by winning the north Kashmir Baramulla Lok Sabha seat by a thumping margin, defeating former Chief Minister Abdullah and People’s Conference president Sajad Lone in the recent general elections. In most Assembly segments of the parliamentary seat, the AIP secured more votes than the NC and People's Conference. AIP’s Baba said the people want an alternative to the traditional parties, and the AIP was the only viable and credible one. 

He added that his party expected Engineer Rashid to be released ahead of the polls as the AIP was a major player in the coming elections.  "We will contest from the maximum number of seats," he added.