Interesting but tough contest on cards in Kashmir bypolls

Baramulla, Apr 21 (UNI) Infighting, open defiance of high command directives and mud-slinging by some senior leaders of political parties during campaigning has lent interest to the April 24 bypoll in three Assembly constituencies of Pattan, Sangrama and Rafiabad in north Kashmir's Baramulla district.

The decision by the Congress not to field candidates against the Peoples Democratic Party on the three constituencies initially gave an impression that all is well within the alliance. The PDP too reciprocated by supporting the candidature of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad from Bhaderwah constituency in Jammu region.

Despite clear cut directions by the high command, several senior Congress leaders have not campaigned in favour of the PDP candidates though they held several public meetings and rallies in the three constituencies so far.

Senior Congress leaders Mohammad Shafi Bhat and Abdul Ghani Vakil addressed public meetings at Rafiabad, but both of them did not canvass for PDP candidate Mohammad Dilawar Mir.

While Mr Vakil asked the people to strengthen the Congress and the hands of Mr Azad for overall development of the state, Mr Bhat openly campaigned for NC candidate Advocate Mohammad Maqbool Mir.

Mr Bhat had resigned from the NC after being denied the party ticket in the 2002 Assembly elections. He then joined the Congress and won the polls from Amira Kadal constituency.

Mr Bhat took part in several election meetings held by the NC in the two constituencies of Pattan and Rafiabad yesterday along with former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and NC Chief Omar Abdullah.

During his speech at Rafiabad, he alleged that the PDP was a party of ''traitors'' with no political base and the Congress had no role in Kashmir as its strength was limited to Jammu only while the NC represented the genuine aspirations of the people of all regions.

Two of the top leaders of the PDP -- Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig and Ghulam Hassan Mir -- have indulged in open mud-slinging and a war of words for the past several days.

Mr Mir accused Mr Baig of using the services of surrendered militants in ensuring poll boycott in the three constituencies.

He alleged that the poll boycott posters had come up in the constituencies at the behest of the Deputy Chief Minister.

Defying the party stand and the leadership, Mr Mir has openly campaigned for independent candidate from Sangrama, Shoaib Nabi Lone, the son of then Minister of State for Education Dr Ghulam Nabi Lone, who was assassinated by unidentified gunmen at high-security Tulsi Bagh area in Srinagar on October 18 last year.

On his part, Mr Baig challenged Mr Mir to quit his Assembly seat and seek fresh mandate if he had the courage and conviction of opposing the party leadership and its manifesto.

He alleged that the former Tourism Minister was working against the interests of the people and furthering his political gameplan by resorting to emotional blackmail.

In Pattan, PDP candidate Moulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari is facing a tough contest from NC's Sheikh Mustaffa Kamal.

''Moulvi Ansari has failed to deliver on his promises. We have not seen him after the last elections. He remembers us at the time of elections only. What has he done for the constituency. We want to experiment a new candidate this time,'' said Mohammad Akbar Lone of Palhalan village in Pattan.

''It is not a good trend to change the political parties frequently. We want to put an end to this politics of defection,'' said Mushtaq Ahmed Tantray of Hadipora in Rafiabad constituency.

While Abdul Jabbar Sheikh said he will vote for Mr Mir of the PDP who had done a lot for his Achabal village, Ghulam Qadir Ganai of Chhajhama was of the opinion that the NC was responsible for whatever development the area had achieved so far.

In Sangrama, the PDP, in place of Mr Lone fielded Javed Hussain Baig, the Deputy Chief Minister's nephew, from the seat.

The NC, by deciding to throw its weight behind Mr Lone, has made the contest a hard one for Mr Baig.

UNI AG RP KN1825