Rashid’s rising influence new challenge for traditional parties

Our Correspondent

Srinagar, June 16

As the Election Commission (EC) has set in motion the process to hold Assembly poll in J&K by inviting applications from parties seeking the allotment of common symbols, the political outfits are gearing up for the big fight. This time, however, the major challenge for traditional parties like the NC and the PDP is Engineer Rashid’s Awami Ittehad Party (AIP).

After the EC starting the process to accept applications, the AIP announced its preparation for the upcoming elections. The AIP had recently declared itself a new “alternative” to the traditional politics of Jammu and Kashmir, stating that it would participate in the poll. The party expressed regret over not fielding candidates in the South Kashmir and Srinagar constituencies in the LS poll, believing that it could have achieved a clean sweep in these seats as well.

The party’s jailed leader, Engineer Rashid, achieved a significant victory by defeating former CM Omar Abdullah in Baramulla during the recent elections, thereby reshaping the political make-up in the Valley.

Even as the NC is reeling from the shock of party vice-president Omar Abdullah’s defeat despite securing the two other seats in Kashmir, its leaders assert that they are taking the emerging challenge and the new political discourse very seriously.

However, PDP leader Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra believes that the big challenge will be the BJP and not AIP in Kashmir. He said the AIP’s advent was vibrant for democracy and discourse. “We don’t mind the AIP’s participation in the process. The PDP has always respected democratic participation over involvement of proxies,” he said.

Apni Party senior leader and former minister Ghulam Hassan Mir said the AIP had emerged as a new force in the political landscape of Kashmir. “A new political force has emerged in the form of AIP. Its success is a clarion call for parties like Apni Party,” he said.

“Our youth are interested in the democratic process and this is a positive change. We have to give them achievable goals and support their aspirations,” Mir told The Tribune.

Smaller parties in J&K, like the Janata Dal (United), have stated that the UT should get statehood before the Assembly poll. JDU leader GM Shaheen recently said that being an “important ally” of the BJP, the party would plead the case of statehood for J&K with PM Modi. “I raised the issue of statehood with party chief Nitish Kumar and he assured that the issue will be discussed with the PM,” he said.

Participation welcome

We don’t mind Awami Ittehad Party’s participation in the electoral process. The PDP has always respected democratic participation over the involvement of proxy parties. — Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, PDP leader

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