Somnath Roy: INDIA Vs ABCD. In the 2024 Lok Sabha Election (Lok Sabha Election 2024) these two theories are circulating in Jammu and Kashmir. It is unnecessary to elaborate on the first one. Let’s see what exactly is this ABCD?
Former Congress and now Democratic Progressive Azad Party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad announced to contest from Anantnag-Rajouri seat but later withdrew his name. Although DPAP is fielding candidates in all three constituencies of the valley. Altaf Bukhari’s Jammu-Kashmir Ape Party, Sajad Lone’s Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference are fighting in Kashmir. Abdullah’s National Conference, Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party and Congress have been mocking these three parties as BJP’s B, CD and D teams. The attack has intensified as the BJP has not fielded a candidate in the Valley. Although the statement of the three main heavyweight parties of Kashmir, in the post-370 situation, the people of Kashmir are extremely angry with Modi-Shah, their security will be confiscated in the three centers, the BJP did not field candidates in the valley. Palta Padma Shibir’s statement, they are not thinking about the three seats of Kashmir. The whole country is in their eyes. Although BJP claims, they will be the kingmaker in the valley.
[আরও পড়ুন: বুলেটে ব্যালট রোখার ছক জেহাদিদের! ভোটের কাশ্মীরে খতম লস্কর জঙ্গি]
Ever since the election deadline was announced, the ABC-C-D theory was doing the rounds among the opposition BJP parties in Kashmir. Referring to the BJP as the main opponent of the ‘INDIA alliance’ (A), their ‘B-C-D’ party was called the DPAP, the AAP party and the People’s Conference. Their main opponent in Kashmir is NC-Congress. Even in Jammu, the seat of the ‘India’ alliance in Kashmir has not been agreed upon. Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag-Rajouri – NC, PDP have fielded candidates in all three centres. Mufti’s obstinate attitude is being termed as ‘stubbornness’ by NC openly and Congress behind closed doors. Besides, NC is supporting two Congress candidates in Jammu. Similarly, Congress is supporting three NC candidates from Kashmir. However, to avoid conflict with the PDP, this decision is not being made public.
In the last Lok Sabha elections, NC won all the three constituencies in Kashmir. PDP came fourth in Srinagar, second in Baramulla and third in the then Anantnag constituency. PDP has not said anything about the rest of the constituencies, but it has always demanded to field candidates in Anantnag-Rajouri constituencies. In 1998, Mufti Mohammad Saeed won for Congress in this centre. His daughter Mehbooba Mufti won in 2004 and 2014. Besides, muftis have repeatedly won mufti father-daughter from Wachi, Anantnag, Bijbehara, Pahalgam assembly of this center. By showing this reason, Mehbooba asked strongly to fight from the ‘family’ center. Omar Abdullah’s response was, last time those who came third behind the Congress, on what grounds can they claim to fight from this center?
In addition to this internal fight, ‘India’ was looking at who the BJP candidates for which seats. In the end, the political circles were suddenly surprised when the BJP did not field a candidate. NC chief spokesperson Tanveer Sadiq said, “BJP understands the anger of the people of Kashmir. So he didn’t dare to put up a candidate.” PDP leader Suhail Bukhari went a step ahead and said, “BJP knows that if they field candidates here, their security will be forfeited.” However, BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur said, “All the parties are attacking the campaign, only us. Then understand our presence in Kashmir. Take it together, even if we don’t give a candidate, we will be the kingmaker there.”
[আরও পড়ুন: প্রিয়াঙ্কার বিরুদ্ধে লড়তে নারাজ! রায়বরেলি থেকে প্রার্থী হওয়ার প্রস্তাব ফেরালেন বরুণ গান্ধী]
The people of Kashmir are traditionally less enthusiastic about Lok Sabha elections. According to them, this vote is the vote of Delhi. Whoever wins here will go and sit in Delhi. They will not be of much use in local problems. Kashmiris are interested in assembly elections. The two local heavyweight parties are citing Delhi’s move to field DPAP, AAP and People’s Conference candidates with the BJP ahead of the NC and PDP. The relationship between the Prime Minister and the BJP with the three supremos of the three parties is being brought forward and the three parties are being referred to as vote grabbers. On the other hand, the ‘Votkatua’ said that Omar Abdullah was a minister in Vajpayee’s cabinet. Mehbooba Mufti joined hands with the BJP to become the Chief Minister. Who or who is more close to BJP, throwing mud at each other, mercury is rising in the political climate of Kashmir. It may not be possible to defeat them in Kashmir as BJP has not fielded a candidate. But NC, PDP, Congress, CPI(M) are chanting to increase voter turnout like birds to Kashmiri voters so that the message of post-370 valley anger can reach BJP in Delhi. Local administrations also want to exercise their democratic rights. For this purpose, a public holiday has been declared in Jammu and Kashmir on the day of election in that area. Apart from the political parties, the administration, the local people of different quarters of Kashmir are also saying that this time they will exercise their democratic rights more.
Kashmir sends a message of anger to Delhi by voting more than the leaders just to see? Or because the BJP did not give a candidate, this stubbornness subsided?
