Snow and the Sonia thaw

As Congress president Sonia Gandhi became the first and till now only national leader to visit the snow-hit areas of Jammu and Kashmir on We...

As Congress president Sonia Gandhi became the first and till now only national leader to visit the snow-hit areas of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, many saw her trip as another proof of her love for the state. Three years back when militants had killed over 35 labourers at Rajiv Colony in Jammu, she had come to meet the victims, especially because the colony was constructed when Rajiv Gandhi was prime minister and she had accompanied him here at the time. Not only this Sonia had selected Srinagar for holding a meeting of Congress chief ministers in May 2003. A few Congress members attribute her love for the Valley to the fact that the Nehru family originally belongs to Kashmir.

McDonald’s mantra

McDonald’s may have come to Beijing’s Tiananmen Square but Jammu and Kashmir has still not got a taste of the world’s best-known fast-food chain. People’s Democratic Party chief and MP Mehbooba Mufti promises to change that. With her father and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Mehbooba was recently on a London tour to promote tourism in the state and during the course of it, she requested McDonald’s to open a branch in J-K. Incidentally Mehbooba herself is fond of burgers and pizzas.

Track diplomacy

The rates of land in the area between Srinagar and Uri in the Valley have shot up five-six times since the Government announced reopening of the Uri-Muzaffarabad land route. Apart from peace, opening of the road is expected to also usher in employment. The stretch may now see a flood of shops, which will obviously provide employment for many. The PDP too couldn’t be happier, with the road being on the party’s agenda for years. At the same time, the state government is being careful and has said that the opening of the road is a ‘‘calculated risk’’.

Bypolls feel by-product

The recent successful civic elections in Jammu and Kashmir may have an unexpected fallout. With people handing out a divided verdict—different parties won in Kashmir and Jammu—none of the parties may be ready to risk by-elections to the Assembly just now. For the past few months there have been speculations about by-elections being held soon—particularly with the proposed change of chief ministership in November this year (it should go to a Congress leader, as per the deal between the party and PDP), and the growing differences between the two ruling allies. However, the civic poll results may change that.

Compiled by RAKESH ROCKY & PAWAN BALI