Login Register
Follow Us

Mufti’s PDP worse off in bastion after ‘unholy alliance’ with BJP

SRINAGAR:The scenario for the PDP has changed from 2014 to the upcoming 2019 General Election, thanks to its “unholy alliance” with the BJP and the rising graph of violence, particularly in its bastion of South Kashmir in the past three years.

Show comments

Ehsan Fazili

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 20

The scenario for the PDP has changed from 2014 to the upcoming 2019 General Election, thanks to its “unholy alliance” with the BJP and the rising graph of violence, particularly in its bastion of South Kashmir in the past three years.

For the first time in 2014, the PDP emerged victorious on all the three seats from Kashmir valley — Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag —due to a “wave for change”.

Though the PDP had represented Anantnag constituency after getting elected in 2004, the first time after it was constituted in 1999, the party secured a sweeping victory from the NC bastions of Srinagar and Baramulla also in the last General Election. But its representation could not continue for the full term.

The PDP’s Anantnag MP, Mehbooba Mufti, had to resign in 2016 after taking over as Chief Minister following the death of her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed earlier on January 7, 2016. 

The byelection could not be held due to the trouble that began immediately after due to the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8, 2016. 

The longest-ever Kashmir unrest continued its hold in the South Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian that comprise the constituency, having 16 Assembly segments. 

The region had turned out to be the bastion of PDP, giving it the highest number of seats. These kept on increasing from 16 in 2002, 21 in 2008, to 28 seats in the 2014 Assembly elections.

The situation in South Kashmir worsened following Burhan’s killing. It continues to be strife-torn with the highest number of militancy-related incidents during the past few years. The IED blast hitting a CRPF convoy on February 14 took place in an area falling in Anantnag constituency.

“The situation has been influenced by violence during the past three years… hardly has anybody thought about participation in elections,” said Mohammad Rafiq, a businessman in Anantnag.

The central Kashmir constituency — comprising Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal districts — was represented by NC president Farooq Abdullah, who was elected in the 2017 byelection after PDP member Tariq Hameed Karra resigned from the Lok Sabha seat and party late in 2016 in protest against the “PDP’s policies and its unholy alliance with the BJP”. However, the byelection was marred by violence that spilled out of the 2016 unrest, registering the lowest-ever turnout of 7%. 

Baramulla, comprising Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipore districts of North Kashmir, remained the only seat represented by PDP’s Muzaffar Hussain Beg for the full term. Like other areas, it has been influenced by the discourse on PDP-BJP “unholy alliance”.

“There have been attempts to fiddle with Article 370 and 35-A during the past five years of BJP rule at the Centre. These issues are sensitive to the people of Kashmir,” said Nazir Ahmad. 

The voter is also looking towards addressing public issues and the law and order situation. “The most important issue is the safety of the people within the state and outside,” he added. 

The bonding & divorce 

  • The PDP (28 seats) and BJP (25 seats) formed the coalition government after the Assembly elections in 2014 gave a fractured mandate
  • Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, patron of PDP, took over as CM on March 1, 2015, after the party agreed upon an “Agenda of Alliance” with the BJP
  • The first phase of this coalition government ended on January 7, 2016, with the death of Mufti Sayeed
  • PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, after series of negotiations between the two coalition parties, took over as CM on April 4, 2016
  • The BJP pulled out of the coalition on June 19, 2016
Show comments
Show comments

Top News

Most Read In 24 Hours