All except NC want polls, EC team heads to Valley today

BJP spokesperson Khalid Jehangir said his party was also ready for polls.

With no clarity having emerged so far about the timing of holding the impending assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the full Election Commission — comprising Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath and Election Commissioners H S Brahma and Dr Nasim Zaidi — will be visiting the state on Saturday to discuss the matter threadbare with all political parties and the state government.

“It needs to be ascertained whether it is feasible to hold elections in the state that was recently ravaged by floods. The full EC will meet all the stakeholders on October 18 to get a clearer picture,” a top EC source told The Indian Express. Once the EC top brass returns, it is likely to seek the opinion of the Ministry of Home Affairs on the matter and is expected to take a final call after that, sources said. The new government in the state has to be in place before January 19, 2015.

While most of the mainstream parties are in favour holding of the assembly elections on time, the ruling National Conference (NC) has expressed its reservations, citing the recent floods and the rehabilitation effort that is still on to rebuild the damaged areas.

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Although it is seeking to postpone the elections due to the floods, the NC has asked its workers to remain ready for the polls. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s political advisor and NC leader Tanvir Sadiq said the only concern for his party is rehabilitation of flood victims.

“Our only concern is that who will take care of the rehabilitation process if the officers are assigned election duties,” he said, adding that in many areas after the floods people have not returned to their homes. “So there will be a low polling percentage.” He, however, said that the party would abide by the directions of the EC.

Main opposition Peoples Democratic Party is in favour of the elections on its scheduled time. “We have already conveyed our decision to the EC team that visited recently. We want that elections should be held on time and our party is ready for it,’’ PDP spokesman Nayeem Akthar said.

The Congress, is also in favour of elections. “We meet people regularly and everyone is ready to go to the polls now,” party vice-president and legislator Ghulam Nabi Monga said.

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BJP spokesperson Khalid Jehangir said his party was also ready for polls. “The EC will take into consideration all the things before announcing the elections and our party will follow its directions.”

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