JAMMU, JUNE 1: The ruling National Conference and the Bharatiya Janata Party have decided to gun for the Lok Sabha polls each on their own steam in Jammu and Kashmir despite having an alliance in the dissolved Parliament.Sources said both these parties, having major stakes in the state, are opposed to the forging of any pre-poll alliance fearing adverse ideological lashback from the electorate. Significantly, this comes after the BJP and allies have formulated a country-wide banner called the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).Of the six LS seats in the state, the NC had won three (Srinagar, Baramulla and Ladakh), BJP two (Jammu and Udhampur) while Congress romped home in Anantnag in the 1998 parliamentary elections.Sheik Nazir Ahmed, NC general secretary, said the party has decided to contest all the six LS seats in the State. ``The issue of supporting any political party during the formation of government at the Centre will be considered only after completion of the poll process,'' he said.Similarly, the BJP leaders here also ruled out the possibility of any electoral alliance with the NC. ``Besides contesting both the Lok Sabha seats in Jammu region, we will field candidates in Kashmir Valley and Ladakh as well,'' they said.However, the stand taken by the NC and BJP, despite the formation of NDA in other parts of the country, has not surprised many in the sensitive border State as both have their own compulsions. While restoration of greater autonomy to the State is likely to be the main poll plank of NC, the latter is opposed to it on the plea that it will lead to disintegration of the country.Besides, increased militancy in various parts of the state, financial crises, widespread unemployment, rampant corruption and lack of development activities are some of the major issues coming in the way of a pre-poll alliance between the NC and BJP. While the BJP criticises the ruling Farooq Abdullah Government for financial mismanagement and deteriorating law and order situation, the latter has been blaming the Centre for not releasing adequate assistance in view of the State's shattered economy and damaged infrastructure.After the elections last year, there have been a number of major militant massacres at various places within and outside the state, including Prankot, Chapnari, Channa, Sarwan and even Kala Ban in the adjoining Himachal Pradesh. The NC, after every massacre, blamed the Centre for not deploying adequate security forces while the BJP leaders criticised the ruling NC leaders for sending wrong signals by accusing the village defence committees (VDCs) and security forces of committing excesses instead of praising them for combating militancy.Under the given situation, both the parties are not in a position to go together in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. Besides, the ruling NC wanted to win maximum number of Lok Sabha seats in the State as its leaders felt that it will enhance their negotiation power with the Centre on all fronts in the event of a hung Parliament.After having won both the LS seats in Jammu region last year, the BJP wanted to increase its mass base in Kashmir as well. Already having made inroads among the Kashmiri migrants, it had marked its presence in the Valley during the LS polls of 1996 and 1998.A senior BJP leader admitted that the party had won both the LS seats in Jammu region due to its anti-NC stance. ``We have been fighting against NC since long and have conveyed our feelings to the party high command in New Delhi that any poll alliance with the NC will adversely affect our electoral prospects in the coming elections,'' he added.
