The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Poll buzz returns to Anantnag: NC man, PDP chief file papers
NATIONAL CONFERENCE (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah kicked off his party’s election campaign in South Kashmir on Thursday — a day on which the NC candidate for the Anantnagrajouri Lok Sabha constituency, Mian Altaf Larhvi People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti filed their nomination papers.
Seniorcongressleadergamir also accompanied Larhvi as he filed his nomination. While the Congress, NC and PDP are part of the INDIA alliance, only the Congressandnchaveaseat-sharing deal in Jammu and Kashmir, with the PDP going it alone.
Mufti submitted her nomination after offering prayers at the grave of her father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Hundreds of PDP supporters gathered at the Anantnag deputy commissioner’s office to show support.
Apni party vice-president Zaffar Iqbal Manhas also filed his nomination on Thursday.
Abdullah and Larhvi later held aworkers’meetinginthebontoor area of the district.
Abdullah said NC had tried to help the PDP many times in the past10years,includingaftermufti Mohammad Sayeed’s death in 2016 and after the BJP pulled support from the Mehbooba Mufti government in 2018.
Thursday saw NC, PDP, and Apni Party supporters turning up in their hundreds near the district headquarters in Anantnag, bringing election buzz back to South Kashmir after five years. Voting in the Anantnag-rajouri seat will take place on May 7.
Residents see this election as being an important one to ensure they have representation in the corridors of power.
First-timevoterjunaidali(21) wantsarepresentativewhoraises theissueofunemployment.“iam worriedaboutjobsandiwantour candidates to talk about jobs,” he said.thereturnofstatehoodtoj&k is also an important issue for him, and he says the protection of land and jobs “can only be ensured by our own representatives”.
Another resident, 55-yearold Ghulam Mohiuddin, wants parties from the Valley to talk “more assertively” about Article 370 (J&K’S special status under this article of the Constitution was abrogated in August 2019). Voting in this election, he said, is critical “as people have not fully accepted the post-august 2019 situation, and having our own political representation is key to having our voices heard”.