Too many fish in indifferent waters

Militant threats, reluctant voters and too many candidates complete the poll picture in arguably the most sensitive constituency of North Ka...

Militant threats, reluctant voters and too many candidates complete the poll picture in arguably the most sensitive constituency of North Kashmir. Baramulla has the highest number of 13 candidates, but that is no pointer to the general indifference towards the politics of promises.

In the last polls, National Conference bagged the seat by around 5,000 votes, and this time, it has decided to replace MLA Mujahid Mohammad Abdullah with Ghulam Nabi Kachroo, president of All Valley Fruit Growers’ Association. Kachroo has his hands full. Senior NC activist Ghulam Hassan Rahi has quit the party to contest as an Independent after he was denied a ticket. Party sources say Rahi can split NC votes, particularly in Narwaw.

Mushtaq Lone

SRINAGAR: J-K LAW and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mushtaq Ahmad Lone was an unassuming Cabinet colleague of Farooq Abdullah.
A 44-year-old lawyer-turned-politician, Lone joined the NC in early ’80’s. As the district president of Youth Federation, he was jailed by G.M. Shah regime that took over after the NC split in 1984.

Story continues below this ad

He went on to become the block president of the ruling party in Lolab and was elected to State Legislative Assembly in 1987. He was again elected in 1996 and became the Minister of State for Home Affairs later. Last year, he was elevated to Cabinet rank. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.

Lone got embroiled in a controversy when his brother’s militant commander friend Ahsan Dar sneaked into Pakistan after his release. Brother Manzoor Lone was then associated with militant outfit Muslim Mujahideen.
Lone’s native village of Sogam in Lolab has always been a hub of militancy with Al Badr and Lashkar-e-Toiba operating in the area.

Another candidate making inroads in the NC vote bank is Mir Khurshid, chief of Jammu and Kashmir Muthida Mahaz, also an Independent. Kach-roo’s biggest worry is leading Supreme Court lawyer Muzuffar Hussain Beigh, the PDP candidate. Beigh has been campaigning in Kandi and Narwaw.

The Congress and the BJP too have fielded their candidates. Congress’ Advocate Monga and BJP’s Damodar Singh are eyeing migrant and Sikh votes which are more than 5 per cent. But the two may not make any difference to the poll outcome.

Story continues below this ad

So far, the only good news for NC has been Sikhs’ decision in Baramulla to support its candidate. The news has created ripples in PDP and they have started trying to rope in prominent Sikhs.

In the main town, however, most people may abstain from voting. ‘‘Why should we vote for the candidates who only show up during elections. Last time, we voted for the NC but all they did was help their relatives make fortunes,’’ alleges octogenarian Ghulam Mohammad.

The PDP candidate may reap the anti-incumbency harvest if people in the main town exercise their franchise.

Donald Trump may replace H-1B lottery with wage-based selection process

World1 hr ago

Days after hiking the fees for new H-1B applications to $100,000, the Donald Trump administration has proposed to overhaul the visa process for high-skilled non-immigrant workers. The Trump administration has suggested a wage-based selection process for the H-1B programme, instead of the current lottery system.

View all shorts

Live Blog