Azhar Hussain
SRINAGAR, July 5: The scheduled visit of EC’s Delimitation Commission to Jammu and Kashmir will commence from July 06 up to July 09, during which they will be meeting different political party heads along with the representatives of different forums who will be given an ample opportunity to put forth their point of view in regards with the delimitation process in the UT of J&K.
While the rest of the country will go through this delimitation exercise only after 2026, Jammu and Kashmir will pioneer this process–that many speculate may even complete before the end of August 2021–as the Centre appears to be more inclined to hold elections in J&K as soon as possible.
In response to all this happening, the regional political parties are still entangled within a muddled state. There are varying remarks that have transpired and resonated in the political chat rooms since the meeting with the PM in New Delhi concluded.
The most curious case is that of PAGD which boasts to be a conglomerate of known regional political parties having three ex-CMs on its podium. But with all this strength there appears to be an immense lack of a common goal between the partisans of this alliance which is evident from the fact that on 29th of June a press conference was scheduled to unveil the things that were discussed with the PM in Delhi. However, at the last moment the same meeting was called off citing that ex-CM Mehbooba Mufti had some pre-engagements and the press conference will be held some other day, which eventually happened.
However, it was on this Sunday that a closed-door consultation of PAGD leaders was organised at the residence of Farooq Abdullah, head of the PAGD. Curiously, no immediate press brief was given on Sunday.
On Monday morning, M. Y Tairaigami, the chief of CPI(M) J&K, cleared the build-up fog and briefed the press while conveying that the PAGD leadership was unconvinced and unsatisfied from the outcome of the meeting that was held on 24th of July at PMO in New Delhi. He said that there was no assurance or serious commitment made by the Central government with the J&K leadership. He said that while the Alliance is still committed to its stance in regards with the abrogation of Article 370, it remains imperative for the Government to restore the statehood prior to elections.
This kind of change in the posture of PAGD was already visible from the comments of the NC leaders. ‘It will take time’ and ‘Can’t happen overnight’ were some of many remarks made by the National Conference leader Omar Abdullah in regards to the restoration of Article 370. He veryv meticulously shifted the demand from the restoration of Article 370 to a much tangible issue of reinstating the Statehood.
The shifting of priorities or rather the change in stand has made the people on ground to reflect as to when actually did PAGD leadership realise the sub-judice nature of the Article-370. If they knew it all along then what was the need to use Hamlet’s device for so long. Many people now see it as a fresh deception by such local leaders that used these slogans as a tool to dupe the masses for their electoral gains during the recent DDC elections.
Pertinently, People’s Conference & Apni Party have already shown their consent for participating in the elections. The latter has already put its thrust to focus on administrative issues since its inception as many speculate it to be more inclined towards Delhi. On the other hand, when PC disassociated itself from the PAGD, it has also melted its stand in regards with the restoration of Article-370 while emphasizing more on the need for a local representative form of government that will end the day-to-day woes of the people.
On technical grounds, as of now there exists only a single difference between these two blocs—PAGD & Apni Party-PC. PAGD demands Statehood prior to elections and may even take a strong stand for the same before actually participating in the elections while as the latter two parties are even comfortable for assembly elections even under the banner of a Union Territory.
Interestingly the Yashwant Sinha led Concerned Citizen’s Group has also chosen to visit Srinagar on Tuesday wherein they are scheduled to meet various local political leaders. This has added a pinch of salt to what is already happening in relation to the visit of the Delimitation Commission.
The future of the elections and Statehood to Jammu & Kashmir is primarily dependent on the report that will be presented by the EC’s Delimitation Commission which will begin its laborious task from Tuesday 6th July. All eyes remain on them and their interaction. with the regional political parties some of whom have yet to take their call whether they are going to participate in the process or will still choose to remain aloof from it.
