Lok Sabha elections 2019: A muted campaign in the hotbed of militancy

South Kashmir’s militancy-infested districts of Pulwama and Shopian go to the polls next Monday but the election fever is totally missing across n towns and villages in both . The occasional, if that, bunting or political flag can be seen fluttering only in party offices; 18 candidates are in the fray here but few have opted to campaign fearlessly and in the open.

With at least 100 militants active in the two districts that are part of the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, mainstream political parties have been holding closed-door campaigns or selecting secure places for meetings and small rallies. These districts are key to the political fortunes of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, more so because the turnout was very low in the first two rounds of voting in Anantnag, which is seeing a three-phase election.Mufti won the seat in 2014, but resigned to become chief minister in 2016.

Keeping the security scenario in mind, NC president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday held a rally in Shopian in a very high-security zone. On Wednesday, a party vice-president addressed cadres inside the party office that is located in a high-security area in Shopian. “Most people prefer to remain aloof to this election process,” said Showkat Ahmad, a local journalist.

J&K Congress chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir also held closed-door meetings at Pulwama and Shopian towns. “We have now started focusing on these two districts. We are taking precautions due to the presence of militants in these areas, so most of our meetings are held behind closed doors.”

PDP leaders admit that polling will be very low in these two districts. “Everything is happening in these two districts and, after talking to our workers and the common people, we feel the polling percentage will go further down compared to the first two rounds,” said PDP youth president Waheed ur Rehman Parra. In the first phase, Anantnag district recorded 13.63% polling. In the second phase, Kulgam recorded a 10.32% turnout. Five years ago, the turnout in Anantnag LS constituency was 29%.

“I have been campaigning here for the past few months but mostly it’s been a closed-door campaign,’’ added Parra, who hails from the Rajpora area of Pulwama. “Mehbooba Mufti held one rally in Shopian but the focus is now on closed-door meetings,” one of the PDP leaders said.

BJP state spokesman Altaf Thakur said his party, too, is being extra careful in Pulwama and Shopian districts because of the militant presence. Justice (retd) Husnain Masoodi, the NC candidate from Anantnag, said his party had tried to convey to the masses how the BJP-PDP government that collapsed last June played havoc with south Kashmir. A senior police officer , asking not to be named, said, “We hope the third phase also ends in a peaceful way...”.