These Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir have attracted a record number of candidates. For the first phase alone, there were 110 in the contest, which is much higher than the figure in the 2002 Assembly polls when 42 were in the fray for the 10 constituencies that went to polls on Monday. The overwhelming enthusiasm of the independent candidates to join the fray is directly linked to the changed ground situation here.
With the separatist boycott campaign going through a major transition from violence to non-violence and militants taking a back seat in this anti-poll agitation, the fear factor is no longer a hindrance to these men and women who have jumped into the poll arena for a variety of personal and political reasons.
Abdul Rashid Sheikh
In 2000, this engineer from remote Mawar village came into the spotlight when he stood up to protest against begaar, or forced labour, by the army in Langate. Now a manager with the Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation, Sheikh resigned from the job to contest elections from the Langate assembly segment.
The 42-year-old engineer was a close confidante of slain Hurriyat leader and People8217;s Conference founder Abdul Gani Lone. After Lone8217;s death and the division of People8217;s Conference, Rashid sided with Lone8217;s younger son, Sajjad Lone. 8220;I love Sajjad Lone but I differ with his election boycott call,8221; says Sheikh.
Irfan Hafeez Lone
A law graduate from Kashmir University, Irfan Hafeez Lone has jumped into the electoral fray as an independent candidate from Sangrama Assembly constituency. Irfan8217;s father Hafeezullah Lone was killed by militants in 1991.
After completing his law degree from Kashmir University in 2007, 29-year-old Irfan joined his family business and was elected president of the United Fruit Growers Association.
Irfan calls himself a social activist and says he joined electoral politics on the insistence of the people. 8220;My grandfather was a social worker. He had political ties but didn8217;t join politics,8221; he says. 8220;Now the times have changed and today you can8217;t work for people without authority.8221;
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Irfan says his poll issues would be healthcare, water supply and electricity. 8220;I would also try to seek a separate block for my constituency8221;.
Shabnum Lone
Daughter of slain Hurriyat leader, Abdul Gani Lone, Shabnum Lone is a senior lawyer. She is contesting elections as an independent candidate from Kupwara despite an election boycott call given by her two brothers 8212; Sajjad and Bilal Lone.
Shabnum belongs to a political family but is herself new to the world of politics.
8220;I believe that the elections are not a solution to Kashmir issue. This dispute has to be resolved between the governments of India and Pakistan and the people of Kashmir8221;, she says. 8220;At the same time, there are so many other issues which cannot wait till the Kashmir dispute is resolved.8221;
Ghulam Rasool Kar
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Ghulam Rasool Kar was the first mainstream politician to begin political activity in Kashmir. He would even address people from a bullet-proof Gypsy as it was dangerous to come out in the open. Militants tried to assassinate him several times. Unlike the politicians of almost all mainstream political groups, he did not migrate from his native town Sopore 8212; the militant hub in the 908217;s 8212; when insurgency began in the Valley. In 1996, Kar revived the Congress in the Valley and won the parliamentary elections.
The 87-year-old politician served the Congress for seven decades, went to Parliament twice and thrice served as a J-K minister. But this time, he is contesting polls as an independent candidate after the Congress denied him a ticket. 8220;I decided to contest on the insistence of people of Sopore,8221; he says.
Bilal Lodhi
Militant-turned-politician Bilal Lodhi is contesting elections as an independent candidate from Beerwah. Former chief of the militant outfit, Al Barq, Lodhi after bidding farewell to arms joined mainstream politics. In 1996, Lodhi joined the PDP. Eight years later, he was elected as MLC, but soon dumped the party to join the rival National Conference. As the National Conference denied him a ticket, Lodhi decided to contest as an independent candidate. Lodhi says he will fight the election to ensure development of his area.
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