Despite NC-Congress alliance winning J&K, Congress decimated in Jammu region, BJP with 29 seats gets largest vote share in J&K polls

Despite NC-Congress alliance winning J&K, Congress decimated in Jammu region, BJP with 29 seats gets largest vote share in J&K polls

S.M.A.KAZMI

Dehradun, Oct 8

The results of the Haryana and J&K assembly polls have given clear indication that the Congress party is no match to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as far as managing the elections are concerned. While the Haryana results came as a shocking surprise to one and all, the J&K poll outcome again showed the Congress in poor light. The Congress party in J&K just managed to get six seats out of which they could win only a single seat of Rajouri (ST) from entire Jammu region.

The pleadings of National Conference leader and former J&K Chief Minister with his alliance partner Congress to pull up socks to take on the BJP in Jammu region had little effect.

The Congress party failed to encash on the displeasure of the majority Hindu population of Jammu region with the BJP due to lack of enthusiasm, inept leadership, wrong choice of candidates, lacklustre campaigning, lack of resources and little support from central party leadership. On the other hand, BJP which started with its’ back to the wall and was expected to win less than ten seats due to ire of Jammuiites, managed 29 seats improving upon it’s’ earlier record of maximum 25 seats. The BJP not only beat incumbency factor and internal rebellion but emerged with maximum vote share of share of 25.64 per cent in J&K. The National Conference despite winning 42 seats have a vote share of 23.43 per cent while Congress with 11.97 per cent is third. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of Mehbooba Mufti winning three seats have a vote share of 8.87 per cent.

The Congress party in J&K lost steam as the it completely failed to convey a message that it could be a better alternative to the BJP. The BJP slowly, steadily and surely with massive resources, Hindutva narrative, spreading fear of Muslim domination, well orchestrated campaign led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other central party leaders was again able to gain ground in Jammu region.

The Congress which was given 32 seats of Jammu in the alliance with National Conference was so inept and incapable that they took lot of time to finalise their candidates. The so-called party  inchrage general secretaries and observers had no idea about the ground realities and only enjoyed their stay in the union territory.

On the other hand, the mighty election machine of BJP with all kind of rich resources led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah with each passing moment was on damage control exercise and gaining confidence of the voters.

The Congress party which was supposed to stop the BJP from reaching double figure mark in Jammu region was in disarray and completely unsure of its’ political task. The BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi vigroulsy campaigned on its’ narrative of Hindu nationalism, rise of militancy and against attempts by NC-Congress alliance of bringing back article 370 and 35A.

The Congress was completely dumb stuck in exposing the BJP which has been ruling the union territory since 2018 through central rule and earlier sharing power with People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of Mehbooba Mufti. The old BJP narrative of creating fear psychosis amongst Hindus against Kashmiri Muslim hegemony again caught the fancy of people of Jammu region while Congress and its leader including Rahul Gandhi failed to convey a simple message that it was BJP since 2014 which has been responsible for all the happenings within the period including a spike in militancy in Jammu region during past two years.

The Congress campaign was completely lacklustre in Jammu region. While Rahul Gandhi did came to J&K five times, his sister  Priyanka Gandhi who could have stayed and led the campaign came only once to Bishnah assembly segment. The contrasting campaign by BJP and Congress in Jammu region gave an impression that Congress leadership was not much interested and has left the entire burden of winning the polls on the shoulders of it’s alliance partner National Conference. This situation led to NC leader Omar Abdullah to complain and warn the Congress but to no avail.

Moreover, the replacement of State Congress President Vikar Rasool with Tariq Ahmed Karra ahead of polls was a false move. Tariq Ahmed Karra who himself fought and won from Shalteng was busy till September 18. He has little knowledge about men and material at his disposal to fight this electoral battle. Vikar Rasool lost the election from Banihal and had a verbal spat with NC leader Omar Abduallah during campaigning.

The decision of the party high command to shut the door on those senior and probable winning candidates from Democratic Progressive Azad Party of Ghulam Nabi Azad who wanted to return and fight on Congress ticket harmed the chances of Congress in Chenab valley. The duplicity in accepting those from Azad’s party till last year and no shutting the door for them speaks volumes about lack of clarity. Tara Chand, one of the closet aide of Azad has been made a working President of the party and was given ticket from Chaamb who lost to a party rebel Satish Sharma. G.M. Saroori ,a Azad Loyalist wanted a Congress nomination but was denied and lost to an independent by  thin margin from Inderwal.

The wrong distribution of Congress tickets also led to the worst debacle of the party in the state. A week before the elections Congress also announced two more working presidents from jammu region but it did not help.

The party could win five seats in Kashmir region namely Anantnag, bandipore, Central Shatleng, Dooru and Wagon Keeri and a single seat of Rajouri (ST).

Despite efforts by the BJP to split the votes in Kashmir region by putting up lost of independents from Jammat-i-islami, former militants and Awami Ittehad Party of Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid, the people of Kashmir showing much political sagacity voted for mainstream National Conference which won 42 seats out of 52 it contested across the state.

Another strategy of BJP to get seats in the Poonch, Rajouri and other hilly areas of Reasi on the issue of granting Scheduled tribe (ST) status to ‘Paharis’ residing in these areas did not materialise. While, the BJP gained due to new delimitation in Jammu and Chenab valley, the party could not make any headway on the nine reserved seats for Schedule Tribes (ST). While, the National Conference won Budhal, Gurez, Gulabgarh, Mendhar, Kokernag and Kangan seats, Congress could win Rajouri while two independents won from Surankot and Thanamandi, all ST (reserved) seats.

However, it was fact that BJP was able to make inroads into areas where it was earlier non-existent. The party stood second in two assembly segments of Gurez and Habbakadal in Kashmir region and nine segments namely Bani, Budhal, Chaamb, Doda, Mendhar, Nowshera, Poonch Haveli, Rajouri and Thanamandi. Only seven independents namely Satish Sharma (Chaamb), Muzzafar Iqbal Khan (Thanamandi), Shabbir Ahmed Kullay.