All eyes, countdown begins

The high-stakes poll process in Jammu and Kashmir for its 87-member Assembly began today with a formal notification issued for the first of ...

The high-stakes poll process in Jammu and Kashmir for its 87-member Assembly began today with a formal notification issued for the first of four phases of polling in 26 constituencies on September 16. And the ruling National Conference releasing its first list of 25 candidates, of whom the most prominent new face belongs to a surrendered militant.

The party has dropped six sitting MLAs and fielded a renegade militant Javid Shah from north Kashmir’s Bandipore constituency in place of sitting MLA Ghulam Rasool Naz. Shah, who is a nominated NC member of the state’s upper house, was, ironically, a member of the Ikhwan, the renegade militant group which has been the target of a crackdown by the NC government.

The party is yet to announce the name of its candidate from Leh Assembly segment where it’s locked in a factional feud over the choice.

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Prominent NC dropouts include two former ministers M S Tariq from Rajouri and Nisar Ahmad Khan from the Mendhar Assembly segment in Poonch district. The decision to field surrendered militant Javid Shah comes at a time when the NC says claims moral high ground in its fight against Awami League leader and MLA, Kuka Parray for his alleged ‘‘criminal record’’ when he was head of the counter-insurgent outfit Ikhwan.

In fact, the NC government recently launched a massive operation against Ikhwan and arrested over a dozen of its members including Parray’s brother for their alleged involvement in killings, rape and extortion. Following these arrests the Awami League party made inroads in the Sonawari Assembly segment (currently represented by Parray) and succeeded in organising several public rallies with a pledge to fight surrendered militants.

When contacted, Shah who now heads another counter-insurgent group National Security Organisation, said that although he had been a militant and an active counter-insurgent after his surrender, he had no criminal background. ‘‘There is no FIR against me anywhere and I have never been convicted for any crime,’’ he said.

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