Reschedule polling as bad weather has hit campaigning, Raina urges EC
Raina, who was in Srinagar, said the people of Jammu and Kashmir were well aware of the performance of leaders of the INDIA bloc in the union territory
J&K Bharatiya Janata Party president Ravinder Raina on Sunday predicted a rout of INDIA bloc candidates in Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
Raina, who was in Srinagar, said the people of Jammu and Kashmir were well aware of the performance of leaders of the INDIA bloc in the union territory.
“The J&K people here know fully well the INDIA bloc partners. Whenever they were in government here or as chief minister they never served people here. That is why all of them will face a clean-up,” he said.
Raina was responding to the statement of president of Jammu & Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee Vikar Rasool Wani on Saturday who claimed that the six parliamentary seats of J&K and Ladakh will go to the INDIA bloc as people are unhappy against the current dispensation in the region.
Raina, Bukhari urge ECI to take decision of
re-scheduling polls based on ground reality
Ravinder Raina as well as Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari reiterated that the inclement weather was hampering campaigning in Anantnag-Rajouri seat and urged ECI to reach for a decision of re-scheduling of poll date or not based on ground realities.
Raina said owing to the inclement weather and heavy snowfall, the Rajouri-Poonch area, which connects with Kashmir valley through Mughal Road, was cut off.
“Even today there is snowfall near Pir ki Gali on Mughal road. That is why the Election Commission of India has asked for a report from J&K administration. The elections should be free and fair. Every person should be able to easily participate in this democratic process and cast their vote. Every candidate fighting the election should not face any difficulties in campaigning,” he said.
“There is no politics in this and there shouldn’t be a blame game on anybody. There are situations when decisions need to change owing to natural calamities or a new schedule is formed. I am hopeful that whatever decision ECI takes will be based on ground realities here,” he said.
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday asked the Election Commission not to postpone polls in Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, a day after the ECI sought a report on the weather and accessibility related constraints. The seat is scheduled to go to polls in the third phase on May 7.
The former CMs made the appeal after the EC sought a report from chief secretary Atal Dulloo and the chief electoral officer on representations submitted by some parties including BJP and Apni Party and three candidates seeking re-scheduling of elections in the constituency due to adverse weather conditions, including snowfall on the Mughal Road.
Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari, who was campaigning in Anantnag on Sunday, said that his party was ready for elections for the past four years but people should not be kept away from votes.
“My candidate is not able to travel through Mughal road as the road is closed even today. Since yesterday, our 20 vehicles have been stranded on the road and what will be the fate of common people. Till the weather improves and everybody gets an opportunity to vote as this is not the sort of government which will keep people devoid of voting,” he said.
“We are hopeful that ECI will do justice and will conduct elections when everyone can vote,” he added.
Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency will see a contest between 21 candidates, including Mehbooba, who is facing a major challenge from National Conference leader and former minister Mian Altaf.
DPAP’s Mohammad Saleem Parray and Apni Party’s Zafar Iqbal Manhas are also among the contestants in the fray, while the BJP has not fielded any candidate and is contemplating its support to one of the contestants not linked to Congress, NC and PDP.
‘Fight between NC versus Apni Party’
Altaf Bukhari claimed that the fight in Anantnag-Rajouri seat was between Apni Party and National Conference.
“Let me tell you the fight on Anantnag-Rajouri seat is between National Conference and Apni Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (led by Mehbooba Mufti) are nowhere and have no role there,” he said.
He claimed that theirs was the number 1 party in Kashmir now.
“Our party is certainly coming to power and when that happens , every religious organisation will be free to preach or propagate its teachings,” he said.
