BJP’S tactics and idealogy!

Without any doubt, the “Modi- juggernaut” marauded the opponents, and single-handedly catapulted “BJP” to numero-uno among all the political parties of India. For the first time it got absolute majority on its own.

But J&K is different. It has always been so.

With Muslims constituting around 70% of the total population of J&K, and keeping in mind that Islam and politics are intertwined in Muslim World, it is but obvious, that those political parties that will pitch the Islam-rhetoric, though subtly will garner maximum number of Muslim votes. And Kashmir-based mainstream political parties know this well, that is why PDP MLA Peerzada Mansoor, in a rally attended by Muslims, said that only a Muslim can become the chief minister of J&K.

It has always been a battle of Muslim hegemony against Hindu-minorities in the state of J&K. Even the mainstream political parties like NC and PDP have been playing the Muslim-card not only to woo Muslim voters but also tacitly show their supporters, their will and power to subdue Hindus Politically.

The J&k mainstream political parties have been like this since their inception, and it is unlikely that they will change in the future.

But what about BJP! Are they perusing what they had been projecting all along! The answer is a big “NO”. Though most Hindus in J&K are the ardent supporters of BJP and it looks like, they will get around 80% of the Jammu seats, But I fear they may not do so well in Kashmir Valley. Garnering more seats in Kashmir may be good for the party, but, at no cost, should they compromise on their ideology.

Abrogation of article 370 has always been projected by BJP to their supporters as a top most priority , It is a bit disappointing to see that they  have fielded candidates , who have vocally opposed the abrogation of this act, like Dr. Hina Bhat from Amira kadal constituency.She had brazenly spoken against the abrogation of article 370 by saying that she will  pick up a gun if Article 370 is abrogated. It is confusing for the voters to ascertain whether BJP is sticking to its plan to abrogate article 370 or not!! With one phase already over, it is intriguing to see that BJP has not yet come out with their election manifesto.

Also the inclusion of the known sympathizers of Separatists like Engineer Rashid and Sajjad lone has not given good vibes to their traditional vote bank.

Many intellectuals are of the view that it was BJP, that gave birth to PDP when they were in power in center. To end the supremacy of the NC, It is opined by some that BJP created another party(PDP), that was more communal than NC, just to split the muslim votes. These very intellectuals are of the view that the bonhomie between BJP and  Separatist-sympathizers like Engineer Rashid and Sajjad lone, is in continuation of their policy to scatter more conservative Muslim votes and thereby weaken all the Muslim-dependant political parties.

It is also opined that BJP is focusing more on Shias and theMuslim- Gurjars of J&K. The shias constitute  20% of the Muslim –world-Population. But in J&k they are not more than 10% of the total population of Kashmir valley, whereas, The Muslim-Gurjars constitute around 20% of the total population of J&K. Both Shias and the Gurjars have been marginalized by the Kashmir-Based-politicians and have been treated as second-hand citizens since many centuries.

These two groups will prove to be the Kingmakers of the J&K elections. Focusing on these two groups will give BJP their first ever legislative assembly seat in Kashmir. With more that 70% voting in the first phase of elections, the voting trend is a precursor that the voting %age will surpass that of 2008- statistics .It looks like that, BJP will benefit, as people have voted against the ruling coalition of NC-Congress(i). It will be the PDP and BJP that will benefit for the huge turnout of the voting.

With Election-pundits predicting more than 30 seats in J&K, BJP may this time emerge as the single largest party of J&K and may form its government for the first time, On their own or with the support of one of the mainstream Kashmir-based political party. Whatever they do, they must retain their core ideology…

By-vinod kaul

Schedule for General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Jammu & Kashmir

 

Schedule for General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Jammu & Kashmir 1.         List of 10 (Ten) Assembly Constituencies going to polls in Phase-I as per following schedule.

Issue of Gazette Notification	Last Date for nominations	Date for Scrutiny of Nominations	Last date for withdrawal of candidatures	Date of poll if necessary
24-10-2008 (Friday)	31-10-2008 (Friday)	01-11-2008 (Saturday)	03-11-2008 (Monday)	17-11-2008 (Monday)

 

Assembly Constituency	Type	District
9-Gurez	General	Bandipora
10-Bandipora	General	Bandipora
11-Sonawari	General	Bandipora
47-Nobra	General	Leh
48-Leh	General	Leh
49-Kargil	General	Kargil
50-Zanskar	General	Kargil
85-Surankote	General	Poonch
86-Mendhar	General	Poonch
87-Poonch-Haveli	General	Poonch

 

2.         List of 6 (Six) Assembly Constituencies going to polls in Phase-II as per following schedule.

 

Date of Issue of Gazette Notification	Last Date for nominations	Date for Scrutiny of Nominations	Last date for withdrawal of candidatures	Date of poll
29.10.08 (Wednesday)	05.11.08 (Wednesday)	06.11.08 (Thursday)	08.11.08 (Saturday)	23.11.08 (Sunday)

 

Assembly Constituency	Type	District
16-Kangan	General	Ganderbal
17-Ganderbal	General	Ganderbal
81-Nowshara	General	Rajouri
82-Darhal	General	Rajouri
83-Rajouri	General	Rajouri
84-Kalakote	General	Rajouri

3.         List of 5 (Five) Assembly Constituencies going to polls in Phase-III as per following schedule.

 

Date of Issue of Gazette Notification	Last Date for nominations	Date for Scrutiny of Nominations	Last date for withdrawal of candidatures	Date of poll
04.11.08 (Tuesday)	11.11.08 (Tuesday)	12.11.08 (Wednesday)	14.11.08 (Friday)	30.11.08 (Sunday)

 

 

Assembly Constituency	Type	District
01-Karnah	General	Kupwara
02-Kupwara	General	Kupwara
03-Lolab	General	Kupwara
04-Handwara	General	Kupwara
05-Langate	General	Kupwara

 

4.         List of 18 (Eighteen) Assembly Constituencies going to polls in Phase-IV as per following schedule.

 

Date of Issue of Gazette Notification	Last Date for nominations	Date for Scrutiny of Nominations	Last date for withdrawal of candidatures	Date of poll
10.11.08 (Monday)	17.11.08 (Monday)	18.11.08 (Tuesday)	20.11.08 (Thursday)	07.12.08 (Sunday)

 

Assembly Constituency	Type	District
06-Uri	General	Baramulla
07-Rafiabad	General	Baramulla
08-Sopore	General	Baramulla
12-Sangrama	General	Baramulla
13-Baramulla	General	Baramulla
14-Gulmarg	General	Baramulla
15-Pattan	General	Baramulla
26-Chadoora	General	Budgam
27-Badgam	General	Budgam
28-Beerwah	General	Budgam
29-Khansahib	General	Budgam
30-Chrar-i-Sharief	General	Budgam
57-Gulabgarh	General	Reasi
58-Reasi	General	Reasi
59-Gool Arnas	General	Reasi
60-Udhampur	General	Udhampur
61-Chenani	SC	Udhampur
62-Ramnagar	General	Udhampur

5.         List of 11 (Eleven) Assembly Constituencies going to polls in Phase-V as per following schedule.

 

 

Date of Issue of Gazette Notification	Last Date for nominations	Date for Scrutiny of Nominations	Last date for withdrawal of candidatures	Date of poll
17.11.08 (Monday)	24.11.08 (Monday)	25.11.08 (Tuesday)	27.11.08 (Thursday)	13.12.08  (Saturday)

 

Assembly Constituency	Type	District
31-Tral	General	Pulwama
32-Pampore	General	Pulwama
33-Pulwama	General	Pulwama
34-Rajpora	General	Pulwama
35-Wachi	General	Shopian
36-Shopian	General	Shopian
63-Bani	General	Kathua
64-Basohli	General	Kathua
65-Kathua	General	Kathua
66-Billawar	General	Kathua
67-Hiranagar	SC	Kathua

 

6.         List of 16 (Sixteen) Assembly Constituencies going to polls in Phase-VI as per following schedule.

 

Date of Issue of Gazette Notification	Last Date for nominations	Date for Scrutiny of Nominations	Last date for withdrawal of candidatures	Date of poll
22.11.08 (Saturday)	29.11.08 (Saturday)	01.12.08 (Monday)	03.12.08 (Wednesday)	17.12.08 (Wednesday)

 

Assembly Constituency	Type	District
37-Noorabad	General	Kulgam
38-Kulgam	General	Kulgam
39-Home-shalibugh	General	Kulgam
40-Anantnag	General	Anantnag
41-Devsar	General	Kulgam
42-Doru	General	Anantnag
43-Kokernag	General	Anantnag
44-Shangus	General	Anantnag
45-Bijbehara	General	Anantnag
46-Pahalgam	General	Anantnag
51-Kishtwar	General	Kishtwar
52-Inderwal	General	Kishtwar
53-Doda	General	Doda
54-Bhaderwah	General	Doda
55-Ramban	SC	Ramban
56-Banihal	General	Ramban

7.         List of 21 (Twenty One) Assembly Constituencies going to polls in Phase-VII as per following schedule.

 

Date of Issue of Gazette Notification	Last Date for nominations	Date for Scrutiny of Nominations	Last date for withdrawal of candidatures	Date of poll
26.11.08 (Wednesday)	03.12.08 (Wednesday)	04.12.08 (Thursday)	06.12.08 (Saturday)	24.12.08 (Wednesday)

 

Assembly Constituency	Type	District
18-Hazratbal	General	Srinagar
19-Zadibal	General	Srinagar
20-Idgah	General	Srinagar
21-Khanyar	General	Srinagar
22-Habbakadal	General	Srinagar
23-Amirakadal	General	Srinagar
24-Sonawar	General	Srinagar
25-Batamaloo	General	Srinagar
68-Samba	SC	Samba
69-Vijaypur	General	Samba
70-Nagrota	General	Jammu
71-Gandhinagar	General	Jammu
72-Jammu East	General	Jammu
73-Jammu West	General	Jammu
74-Bishnah	General	Jammu
75-R.S.Pura	SC	Jammu
76-Suchetgarh	General	Jammu
77-Marh	General	Jammu
78-Raipur Domana	SC	Jammu
79-Akhnoor	General	Jammu
80-Chhamb	SC	Jammu

 

8.         The dates of counting and completion of the elections will be 28.12.2008 (Sunday) and 31.12.2008 (Wednesday) respectively.

special polling booths for kashmiri pandit migrants

NEW DELHI : As part of efforts to ensure greater participation in Jammu and Kashmir polls, the Election Commission is setting up special polling stations in Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi for Kashmiri migrants to cast their ballot.

The EC is setting up nine special polling stations in Jammu, one in Udhampur and four in Delhi where sizeable number of Kashmiri migrants live.

In a communication to the chief electoral officer of the state, the EC said that the poll officials in the 46 assembly constituencies in the Kashmir valley would cull from list of voters who opt for voting in person at these special polling stations.

The EC also asked the Union Home Ministry to run a publicity drive about the special arrangement in the next few days.

Besides, the Commission said those who are at present residing outside their place of ordinary residence and elsewhere other than Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi would have the opportunity to exercise their franchise through postal ballot papers.

In this regard, the EC asked the postal department to gear up for the postal ballot scheme so that the purpose was achieved.

The success of the scheme is crucially dependent on the speed of clearance and delivery of the request of the migrant electors, dispatched postal ballot papers reaching the electors before the stipulated date and again the duly filled in ballot papers reaching the concerned Returning Officers of the valley well in time before the commencement of the counting, it said.

The EC asked the postal department to direct Post Master Generals across the country especially in Delhi, Chandigarh, Bangalore and Jammu, where there are large concentration of migrant voters, to take special measures in this regard.

The Commission said it would not be possible to provide polling stations for those Kashmiri migrants living in other parts of the country and they would have the option to vote through postal ballot system.

The state would go for a seven-phased assembly polls on November 17, 23, 30, December 7, 13, 17 and 24. (PTI)