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चैत्र कृष्ण पक्ष, गुरूवार, तृतीया, संकट निवारण चर्तुथी

News

Pulwama built strong narrative for BJP


Date:- 24 May 2019


Arun Joshi

 

The National Conference won all three seats in the Valley, trouncing its regional rivals, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP ruled supreme in Jammu and Ladakh regions as the religious identity politics of Muslims versus Hindus sought to overtake each other in the six parliamentary seats in the state where the February 14 Pulwama terror attack built a stringent national security narrative for the saffron party.

The post-Pulwama terror attack shaped the campaign in the Hindu dominated Jammu region where the fears of Hindus were amplified and then allayed with reassurance that after the Balakot aerial strikes, Pakistan would never dare again to target soldiers and the borders. Results on Thursday showed the delight that Jammu voters took in the BJP’s promise to abolish J&K’s special status under Article 370 and exclusive rights and privileges under Article 35A, while Kashmiri voters voted overwhelmingly for the NC to defend these positions in which they see their distinct identity.

Kashmiri voters had become suspicious of the PDP and its leader Mehbooba Mufti who had aligned with the saffron party to share power, so they voted for the plough symbol of the NC that they thought was a little better than the pen and inkpot of the PDP. The People’s Conference, once a diehard pro-autonomy party, was also dumped by voters, for its symbol “apple” was seen as an extension of the BJP’s symbol of lotus.

There were no surprises in the results on Thursday as the NC, led by Farooq Abdullah, a veteran politician, who has weathered many storms in his over 40-year-old political career, registered its victory in Baramulla, Srinagar and Anantnag. Farooq Abdullah retained the Srinagar seat with a respectable margin, the low polling election, while his party’s two other candidates Akbar Lone and Hasanain Masoodi won from the Baramulla and Anantnag constituencies in north and south Kashmir, respectively.

The victory of Hasnain Masoodi, a retired judge, in Anantnag, was perhaps the sweetest where it regained the seat from the PDP that had fielded its president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. It is for the first time that Mehbooba, who trailed at number three, lost any election in south Kashmir. This is going to change the dynamics of the Kashmir politics for she was severely punished for her alliance with the BJP and the consequential disastrous ramifications it had for the Kashmiri Muslims, in particular, under her watch.

The NC had not won even a single parliamentary seat in 2014 despite the fact that it was ruling the state that time.

The BJP retained all three seats – two in Jammu and one in Ladakh – further decimating the Congress. The saffron party’s candidates – Dr Jitendra Singh and Jugal Kishore romped home with much bigger margins than 2014.

The voters had voted for strong Prime Minister Modi than the candidates, particularly in the aftermath of the Pulwama-Balakot theme. National Security is a very sensitive issue for Hindus of Jammu who feel themselves squeezed between the Islamic radicalism and terrorism exported by Pakistan.

The BJP also defied all odds in the cold desert region of Ladakh where it was jolted by the resignation of its top leader and MP Thupstan Cheewang. It was helped in its victory by a clear division in the Muslim votes, while the Buddhists voted with their proclaimed loyalty to the BJP.

Courtesy:The Tribune,May 24,2019