Suhail Khan
Srinagar, Sept. 06: Assembly Elections are being held in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, with minute-by-minute political developments taking place. While some are finding joy in these developments, others are having their happiness snatched away. This reveals the true colors of politics.
Two weeks ago, on August 16th, the Chief Election Commissioner of India, Rajiv Kumar, announced that the elections will be held in three phases in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Jammu and Kashmir assembly has 90 seats. The first phase of voting will be held on September 18th for 24 seats in the districts of Pulwama, Anantnag, Shopian, Kulgam, Ramban, Kishtwar and Doda. The second phase on September 25th will see voting for 26 seats in Ganderbal, Srinagar, Budgam, Poonch, Reasi and Rajouri districts. The final phase on October 1st will have voting for 40 seats in Bandipora, Kupwara, Baramulla, Udhampur, Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts.
After the announcement, all political parties as well as the people welcomed this step, as assembly elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir after 10 years.
Immediately after the announcement, politics heated up, and the political market became abuzz. In the very first week, major political developments were seen, with leaders resigning from one party, rejoining, and ‘Ghar Wapsi’ (homecoming) becoming a trending topic. People continued to stand by their favorite leaders, and this process accelerated.
While some leaders found joy in getting the mandate, others lost their sleep when they did not receive it. This cycle continues, and we see such political developments every day.
The maximum political developments were seen in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), whose president Mehbooba Mufti first sidelined herself from participating in this election, and since then, the situation has not calmed down and the political landscape has been rocked by a series of dramatic developments within the party.
Sources told Kashmir Despatch that the party is yet again facing a crisis as betrayals and broken promises tear through its ranks.
Sources said the intensifying power struggles within the PDP have led to a mass exodus of its leaders, who are leaving the party with serious allegations that it has failed to uphold its basic principles.
The party is now being accused of prioritizing personal and political ambitions over the welfare of the people, sources said.
Some developments occurred in the party that not only shocked the entire Jammu and Kashmir but also raised questions within the political setup.
First, a shocking development came from the Chief Spokesperson, Suhail Bukhari, who left the party and alleged that the party had forgotten its basic principles and was giving space to those people who had abandoned the party when it needed them the most.
The allegations that the party had forgotten its principles only grew, and some leaders were kept away from the party’s mandate, despite their significant contributions. But as everyone knows, this is dirty politics, which does not care for anyone, as was the case with Aijaz Ahmad Mir, a former PDP leader from Shopian.
Aijaz was not given a party ticket, despite being a successful and the youngest winner in the previous election on a PDP seat. But this is politics, and anything can happen to anyone at any time, and this is rightly called “Dirty Politics.”
Leaving the PDP, Aijaz Ahmad Mir has now decided to contest this assembly elections as independent, but the situation within is perhaps not easy to express.
In an emotional video that Kashmir Despatch has access to, former PDP leader Aijaz Ahmad Mir is seen telling the PDP president Mehbooba Mufti that she has let go of his hand, and it was not he who left, but she who told him that she no longer needs him. He says that he has never betrayed her, but she has now abandoned him, and this lesson will remain with him for life.
Joining the club, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesperson Tahir Sayed also resigned from the basic membership of the party earlier this week.
“It’s with a heavy heart that I write this unpleasant letter of resignation from the post of spokesperson and basic membership of the party,” Syed posted on X (formerly Twitter).
It is reported that Sayed was not happy with the party’s decision to give a mandate to Mohammad Afzal Wani from Tehgam constituency.
“With a heavy heart, I end my ten years of association with the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP) and wish Mehbooba Mufti and her party all the best,” he said.
Syed further said in his letter of resignation posted on X, “It was a great and learning experience to serve the party and our people.”
“Tere badalne ka dukh nahi hai mujhe, Main to mere yakeen pe sharminda hun,” Syed concluded his resignation letter with these Urdu couplets.
This is not the only case; another leader also went through a similar ‘Tsunami’ when, despite assurances, his name was removed from the party’s list.
Sopore Fruit Mandi President Fayaz Ahmad Malik, alias Kakaji, went from joy to mourning when he was not only avoided by the party but was also reportedly told by PDP President Mehbooba Mufti to prepare, but those promises turned out to be hollow when someone else got the mandate for the Rafiabad constituency.
This is politics, which always reveals its true colors, and no matter how loyal a person may be, when the time comes, they tend to forget their loyalty.
Meanwhile, the PDP, which had lost all three seats in the recently held Lok Sabha elections, is in a state of flux.
Suhail Khan is a filmmaker, content writer, and freelance journalist.
