With suspense growing over the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, two national political parties have finally voted for timely polls in the flood-ravaged state.
When are assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir due?
The six-year term of the assembly ends on January 5. Given the harsh winter and security risks involved, elections in militancy-hit state are generally held over number of phases. Technically the process starts two months before keeping in view weather conditions and other security factors.
Are elections being held on time?
The September 7 floods have cast doubts over the timely holding of polls. With administration busy with the relief and rehabilitation of 12.5 lakh flood-hit families, questions are being raised over holding elections in such a situation.
What are political parties saying?
With buzz of deferring the polls doing rounds, some of the political parties have finally decided to clear the air. Leading the demand is senior Congress leader and leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, who has strongly called for holding the elections on time. "It is important to conduct elections in January so that the next government could speed up the measures of rehabilitation after the winter is over," he said.
BJP too favours timely elections. "My personal view is that elections should be held on time. Election is priority and people rehabilitation is also priority. Both should be done side by side," said Vibodh Gupta, senior vice-president of J&K state BJP.
How are state parties reacting?
Main opposition People's Democratic Party said they do not hold any view on elections this time round since they are busy with relief work. "We have no views on the polls. We are in the midst of crisis. We have no time to think over it right now," said Naaem Akthar, chief spokesman of PDP.
If elections are held who are going to be benefited?
Observers believe that the timely elections will hurt the ruling National Conference badly as the anger against the party is mounting due to shoddy rescue, relief and rehabilitation work. Congress, which shared the power with National Conference in the state, wants to regain some ground after the drubbing in the parliamentary polls. In the 89-member (two of them nominated) House, Congress has 17 MLAs while as NC has 28.
BJP too wants to cash in on the misery of NC-Congress combine.
However, it is the PDP which is going to be the major beneficiary. It has started to connect with the masses by picking holes in the Omar Abdullah government's shoddy relief measures. "It was unfortunate that the state government had failed even in management of relief and the ruling parties were now trying to sail through the public anger by partisan distribution of even elementary requirements like food, tents and medicine," said Mufti Mohommad Sayeed, PDP patron.
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