Baramulla: 45-year-old Rifat has never voted in her life. She moved to Delhi five years ago to work, but this time she has travelled back home, especially to cast her vote. Her reason — first step to bring an end to “babu raj in Kashmir” and ensure “voice of Kashmiris reaches Parliament.”
As Baramulla votes 20 May, for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, the lack of political representation and need to replace ‘babu raj’ with a chief minister is resonating on the ground as a collective demand. Besides this, pressing concerns, such as electricity shortages, high bills due to smart meters, limited ration and unemployment, also figure prominently in the discussions leading-up to the polls.
With over 17 lakh voters, this parliamentary constituency — encompassing Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora — is set to witness a triangular contest featuring the National Conference (NC), the Jammu Kashmir People’s Conference (JKPC), and an Independent candidate. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has not fielded any candidate, is supporting the JKPC candidate.
While the NC has fielded former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah, JKPC has Sajjad Lone as its candidate. Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as ‘Engineer Rashid’ , jailed in a case of terror funding, is contesting as an Independent candidate. His son Abrar Rashid has been campaigning for him and his rallies have been drawing a large crowd, especially youngsters.
After the delimitation exercise, Baramulla got two new constituencies — Kunzer and Tangmarg — while the existing Sangrama constituency was merged with Tangmarg.
According to political experts, Lone may have an upper hand because after the delimitation, two Shia-dominated assembly seats from Budgam district were included in the constituency that have a massive support for Lone. The NC, on the other hand, relies more on Shia support from areas like Budgam, Beerwah, and Bandipora.
Baramulla has been a NC bastion over the years.
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‘Disappointment with governance, VIP culture, convey anger’
In a significant shift in Kashmiri politics, there are no longer calls for boycotting elections, secession from India, or violence. Instead, the prevailing sentiment among the youth, especially the first-time voters, is of active participation in the democratic process.
“There is disappointment with the quality of governance that they have seen in the last five years post abrogation of Article 370. There is a lack of representation, they are disempowered and that is why they are coming out to vote,” Omar Abdullah told ThePrint.
He added that for the NC, strengthening of domicile laws, development of Kashmir and safeguards to the people of the valley are key priorities.
Campaigning for his father, 23-year-old Abrar Rashid told ThePrint that he is being supported by youngsters who have started believing in the political process to bring change.
“These are first-time voters who have left violence and are now exercising their democratic rights. My father has always put the interest of Kashmiris first and spoken for the common man. He has spent his life for the truth and has fought against VIP culture. That is what has struck a chord with the people,” he said.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti said that BJP may have boasted about development in Kashmir post abrogation of Article 370, but Kashmiris are “politically aware” and cannot be taken for a ride as they are struggling for basic necessities.
“The people of J&K have taken to this election to send a message to Delhi, telling them that they are going to reply to them through a vote, through democratic process and not through stones or guns,” she told ThePrint. “They believe that they have been disempowered, and this is the way to get back at Delhi. Democracy is the best form of revenge and that is what is happening here.”
She added that in Governor rule, the common man has suffered the most.
“BJP was boasting that after (Article) 370 everything is going to be good. But unemployment is at an all-time high right now. We produce electricity, but we pay the highest rates after installation of smart meters. Poor people are given bills running into thousands (of rupees). People feel suffocated, and this election is their chance to convey their anger, by electing their own representative,” Mufti said.
‘Babu raj, corruption, suffocation’
For Abdul Majid from Kupwara, his vote this time will be for change that has been “long due for Kashmir.” Whether it is babu raj or monopoly of dynasts, both have to be defeated, he says.
“No dynastic party is good for Kashmir. They have been here for years, and we know that they do not care for the common man. What further ruined Kashmir was the governor rule. We have been left on our fate; there is no one to listen, no representative,” he says.
Talking about the District Development Councils and Panchayats in the Kashmir Valley, he says, “They are for namesake. They are all filling their own pockets but do we have someone we can complain to? No one. To speak to the governor, we keep putting in applications, but nothing happens.”
Showkat Ahmed, a transporter from Kupwara, says he has asked his entire village to vote. More than someone who speaks about restoration of Article 370, he wants a leader who would care about their basic necessities.
“We are getting only 5 kg of rice as a ration these days. This was done during Modi’s rule. We are a rice eating community; our poultry consume that much rice. We want to vote so that someone comes and does something for us on the ground level. This bureaucracy rule has ruined us. They do things at their own will,” he says.
“We do not see power in our homes. We don’t get any ration. The graduates are sitting at home. Where is governance? Kashmir has power projects that are generating power but we do not see any power in our homes. We are voting hoping for a change. We want jobs, inflation to go down. People are voting for a purpose in hope to get something.”
Fayyaz Ahmad Mir, a fruit seller agrees. This month he got an electricity bill of Rs 3,000 for which he blames the smart meter.
“My electricity bill without using it was Rs 3,000. My monthly earning is Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000. How will I be able to pay this amount? They put up smart meters that are all faulty. If we had MLAs, ministers, we would have gone to them. Right now, we have no one. We really hope that the Assembly elections happen soon,” he says.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
Also Read: Why Engineer Rashid, jailed under UAPA, is giving jitters to NC’s Omar Abdullah in Baramulla