Pak barbs fly as campaigning for 2nd phase ends

Campaigning for the second phase of the assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir ended on Monday, with the pre-poll discourse largely centering around terrorism and resumption of dialogue with Pakistan, besides abrogation of Article 370 and restoration of statehood.

More than 2.5 million people will be eligible to cast their franchise across 26 constituencies – 11 in Jammu and 15 in Kashmir – on Wednesday, according to the Election Commission (EC). A total of 239 candidates are in the fray in these seats.

These are the first assembly polls in the restive region since its special status and statehood were scrapped five years ago Voting for the first phase was held in 24 constituencies on September 18.

The contest is poised between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a Congress-National Conference (NC) combine, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). A last-minute alliance between Baramulla lawmaker Sheikh Abdul Rashid’s Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) and politico-religious outfit Jamaat-e-Islami – their candidates will contest as Independents – and a host of local parties such as the People’s Conference, the Apni Party, and the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) are likely to make inroads and skew the electoral arithmetic.

NC vice president Omar Abdullah, J&K Congress chief Tariq Karra and Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari are among the key candidates in the second phase.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the campaign for the BJP and held his first rally in the Valley on September 19, where he signalled his commitment to propel development and hit out at dynastic parties in the region.

Union home minister Amit Shah held back-to-back rallies during the weekend, where he emphasised the need for a BJP government to “ensure peace, prosperity and development”.

Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Asif’s remarks on the abrogation of Article 370 and the Congress-NC alliance gave the BJP fresh ammunition to target the NC and Congress and accuse the two parties of being on the “same page” with the neighbouring country.

The attack came even as the Congress and the NC distanced themselves from Asif’s remarks and warned Pakistan against interfering in India’s internal matters. Besides Modi and Shah, Union ministers Rajnath Singh and JP Nadda addressed poll rallies in the UT.

The BJP is traditionally strong in Jammu, which will send 43 legislators to the House, and it is hoping to find allies that can help it form the next government. The party is not expected to do well in Kashmir, which sends 47 representatives to the assembly, although people aware of the matter said it could win a seat or two.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi were the star campaigners for the party. On Monday, Gandhi held a rally in Surankote assembly segment of Poonch district, where he promised the party would put pressure on the Centre to restore J&K’s statehood after the elections.

Farooq and his son, Omar Abdullah, who is also the vice president of NC, also addressed various poll events. On Monday, Farooq said his party will continue to knock at the Supreme Court’s door for the restoration of Article 370 as “it is linked with the honour of the people” of Jammu & Kashmir.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, while campaigning, also hit out at Pakistan for raising the issue of Pakistan. “I feel the BJP has failed on every front. They had promised two crore jobs every year which meant 20 crore jobs in 10 years. After indulging in Hindu-Muslim, lynching of Muslims, demolition of mosques, now they remember Pakistan. They are raising these issues just to hide their failure,” she said on Friday.

Lok Sabha MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, also known as Engineer Rashid, alleged Omar andPeople’s Conference chief Sajad Gani Lone had ganged up in a bid to defeat his Awami Ittehad Party candidates. Rashid had defeated both Abdullah and Lone in the Lok Sabha elections from Baramulla earlier this year.

The first phase of polls saw a turnout of more than 61%.