Monday, December 01, 2008

Independents seem to hold the key for next Assembly

IIPM Publication
Three of the four Assembly seats in Rajouri district have rebels contesting against their own party nominees. None of the rebels of major political parties -- National Conference, Congress, People's Democratic Party and BJP – stayed away from the elections for Darhal, Rajouri and Kalakote Assembly seats of the bordering district.

So far as noise making goes, the PDP election manifesto – titled 'make Self–Rule happen' – echoes its role of filling the political space between separatist and mainstream parties with its soft separatism agenda. It emphasise bringing Jammu and Kashmir politically, economically and constitutionally closer, foreseeing a "shared sovereignty" of a united J&K between India and Pakistan.

NC president Omar Abdullah released his party's Vision Document for J&K "At the political level, the NC Government will try to convince those who have taken recourse to violence and intimidation as means to achieve their goals to come on the dialogue table," the Vision Document says. Meanwhile, the only party displaying lethargy is Congress despite having ruled the state for three years in coalition with the PDP. Though it is open to elections, the party is yet to release a poll manifesto. While former chief minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, will spearhead the poll campaign, the party lacks a concrete programme to approach the elections held in an environment of strife.....Continue