The Bharatiya Janata Party, like a sun-bronzed surfer, is perennially hoping for a wave to a ride on. Its wishes were granted elsewhere in the country, but in Jammu and Kashmir, the breakers are unlikely to take it too far. The high voting turnout of 71.3% in the first phase of the state Assembly elections indicates support for local parties, not the BJP, according to many voters.
Of the 15 constituencies in seven districts that polled on November 25, six were in Jammu, five in Kashmir and four in Ladakh. Among the segments in Kashmir, Gurez had a polling percentage of 77%, Bandipora 70%, Sonawari 80%, Ganderbal 75.6%, and Kangan 76%.
Together, the turnout in the 15 seats was about 5 percentage points more than the 2008 election average.
This increase, say voters, is a show of support for the regional candidates, either from the People’s Democratic Party or the National Conference. It is unlikely to make true BJP’s ambitious dreams of winning over 44 seats in the 87-member assembly, what the saffron party calls Mission 44+.
In Ganderbal, people believe the rise in polling percentage will herald in change but not the BJP. “The reason for the high turnout is the high number of local candidates, many of whom we have known for years,” said Wani Ghulam Ahmed, a voter in Ganderbal. “People came out to vote in big numbers because they want immediate change.”
Soft boycott call
Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq too feels that people have voted on local issues.
“For the Hurriyat and the people, the election is a non-issue,” Umar said in Srinagar. “Elections can never be a substitute for a political solution to the Kashmir issue. As far as the people are concerned, they have problems of sadak, bijli and paani, but you have to make a distinction. People who have voted have exercised their franchise for day-to-day problems and not for India.”
Separatists, including Umar, had called for a boycott of the election but that did not stop the voters from queuing up at polling stations. Reportedly, the boycott call was not pushed too hard, so that its success does not benefit the BJP in the constituencies with large numbers of Kashmiri Pandits.
Despite the boycott call, the voting percentage has risen in some areas where it would otherwise be negligible. It is worth noting that most separatist leaders and workers are either under house arrest or in prison, including hundreds of people who support such sentiments. There were only two attacks on voting day. What also cleared the way for voters was that overall militant attacks have lately been few.
Government change
Last week, National Congress legislator Haji Mohammad Ashraf Ganai had requested Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani to reconsider the boycott call, saying it will help the BJP. “People came out and voted in large numbers to defend the special status of the state,” Ganai told a local newspaper. “They want to give a befitting reply to the BJP and prevent it from making inroads into Kashmir.”
Despite a massive campaign in the state, the BJP is not gaining voters’ trust. A voter from Bandipora, requesting anonymity, said there are no chances for the saffron party’s victory in Kashmir. “Every time there is a rise in voter turnout, it benefits the opposition party,” he said. “This time it is a wave against the incumbent government. We saw so much that we needed to change the government.”
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Of the 15 constituencies in seven districts that polled on November 25, six were in Jammu, five in Kashmir and four in Ladakh. Among the segments in Kashmir, Gurez had a polling percentage of 77%, Bandipora 70%, Sonawari 80%, Ganderbal 75.6%, and Kangan 76%.
Together, the turnout in the 15 seats was about 5 percentage points more than the 2008 election average.
This increase, say voters, is a show of support for the regional candidates, either from the People’s Democratic Party or the National Conference. It is unlikely to make true BJP’s ambitious dreams of winning over 44 seats in the 87-member assembly, what the saffron party calls Mission 44+.
In Ganderbal, people believe the rise in polling percentage will herald in change but not the BJP. “The reason for the high turnout is the high number of local candidates, many of whom we have known for years,” said Wani Ghulam Ahmed, a voter in Ganderbal. “People came out to vote in big numbers because they want immediate change.”
Soft boycott call
Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq too feels that people have voted on local issues.
“For the Hurriyat and the people, the election is a non-issue,” Umar said in Srinagar. “Elections can never be a substitute for a political solution to the Kashmir issue. As far as the people are concerned, they have problems of sadak, bijli and paani, but you have to make a distinction. People who have voted have exercised their franchise for day-to-day problems and not for India.”
Separatists, including Umar, had called for a boycott of the election but that did not stop the voters from queuing up at polling stations. Reportedly, the boycott call was not pushed too hard, so that its success does not benefit the BJP in the constituencies with large numbers of Kashmiri Pandits.
Despite the boycott call, the voting percentage has risen in some areas where it would otherwise be negligible. It is worth noting that most separatist leaders and workers are either under house arrest or in prison, including hundreds of people who support such sentiments. There were only two attacks on voting day. What also cleared the way for voters was that overall militant attacks have lately been few.
Government change
Last week, National Congress legislator Haji Mohammad Ashraf Ganai had requested Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani to reconsider the boycott call, saying it will help the BJP. “People came out and voted in large numbers to defend the special status of the state,” Ganai told a local newspaper. “They want to give a befitting reply to the BJP and prevent it from making inroads into Kashmir.”
Despite a massive campaign in the state, the BJP is not gaining voters’ trust. A voter from Bandipora, requesting anonymity, said there are no chances for the saffron party’s victory in Kashmir. “Every time there is a rise in voter turnout, it benefits the opposition party,” he said. “This time it is a wave against the incumbent government. We saw so much that we needed to change the government.”
