By Dr. Gyan Pathak
It is an open secret, but never admitted, that political parties in power often get some candidates contest elections to effect division in opposition votes to facilitate easy win for their own candidates. The “election strategy of the proxy” in Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing some other dimensions added to it: the alleged proxy candidates are unprecedentedly in high numbers; they are believed stronger enough to win themselves rather than helping the ruling party’s candidates to win; the party ruling by proxy through the Lieutenant Governor has been alleged to have agreed on a deal with proxy candidates and proxy parties to make their government; and the chief political parties of the Union Territory are under the grip of a great fear of losing.
A special feature of the “election strategy of the proxy” is that the alleged proxy candidates and proxy parties have been of separatist background, and many of the contesting candidates are even currently in jail on anti-India charges. The two chief political parties of the Union Territory – National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) – have alleged that they are proxy of the BJP, a nationalist party ruling at the Centre. Nationalists and Separatists joined hands? Just for grabbing power in Jammu and Kashmir?
We can recall the recent allegations raised by Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah, which anchored on Congress, NC, and PDP being anti-India. Congress and NC have entered into seat sharing arrangement as part of INDIA bloc, which Amit Shah criticized as not in India’s interest. NC and PDP have also been criticized by the BJP allegedly for having links with separatists.
Now there is a reverse allegation on BJP – though BJP overtly plays the politics of nationalism, it has entered into covert deals with the separatists to defeat the NC and PDP candidates as alleged by their leaders.
It should be noted that Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, had won from the Baramulla Lok Sabha Constituency election 2024 as an independent candidate defeating NC leader Omar Abdullah by a huge margin. Engineer Rashid contested from jail, who has been lodged on anti-India charges.
Now, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti has alleged that MP Engineer Rashid’s Awami Ittehad Party is a proxy of the BJP. Ms Mufti said while his victory from Baramulla Lok Sabha Constituency is understandable, what is unclear is how he is funding his party and bringing it to prominence with multiple candidates in the fray.
Her statement has come a day after a PDP candidate was injured in an attack by Awami Ittehad Party activists. “Rashid is in jail. Mufti took 50 years to form the party, we still do not have resources to field candidates everywhere. Who is behind his organization so their candidates are fielded everywhere? From where is the funding coming? From where are they getting such courage to engage in hooliganism?” she questioned. “I want to ask the government – if you have again come up a proxy party, Engineer Rashid’s party, when all your other proxy parties have failed, you have brought Engineer Rashid’s party to the fore, and you are supporting them fully with funds and everything, then tell us clearly that other parties do not have to contest elections.”
NC leader Omar Abdullah had earlier claimed that the BJP has “struck a deal” with some parties as well as independents hoping to use their help to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir in a post-poll scenario. Omar has alleged that there a conspiracy has been hatched by the BJP and their leaders against him and his party. He said that a jailed separatist leader Engineer Rashid contested against him in the Lok Sabha election 2024 from Baramulla constituency. His emotional appeal was recorded in jail and circulated during election.
Now, he said in surprise in an election rally that another jailed separatist leader (Sarjan Ahmad Wagay aka Sarjan Barkati) filed nomination papers against him from the Ganderbal Vidhan Sabha Constituency as an independent candidate. Allegations are that Barkati was tipped to contests from Ganderbal and Beerwah from where Omar was expected to contest. However, sensing conspiracy, Omar filed his nominations from Ganderbal and Budgam.
“Leaders in Delhi dislike me. But the fact that they hate me so much is getting evident to me. Why are candidates in jail only contesting against me? Even those who have nothing to do with these constituencies,” Mr. Abdullah said. “I never saw a plot in the victory of Mr. Rashid, who had contested elections earlier too. But when the news came about him (Mr. Wagay) contesting from Ganderbal, I could see a plot. I got forms from different constituencies to test the waters. Some agencies felt that I may also contest from Beerwah where I won the last time. He (Mr. Wagay) was first asked to file from Ganderbal and then from Beerwah. I chose to file from Budgam instead to spoil their game.”
It goes without saying that National Conference and the PDP leaders are under a grip of fear of the alleged BJP’s “election strategy of proxy”. NC and PDP leaders have accused the BJP of undermining regional parties by promoting independent candidates, which they allege to be proxies of the BJP.
On the other hand, BJP leader Amit Shah has alleged that Congress and NC wanted to bring back the old system (restoration of the Article 370) and start talks with Pakistan. However, he said, that there could be no talks with Pakistan until peace was achieved. BJP is yet to refute the allegation of fielding proxies and joining hands with separatist elements to defeat NC and PDP. (IPA Service)
