NC resents Vajpayee, Advani remarks on J&K elections

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR AUG 19. A combative mood prevails in the ruling National Conference in the wake of the recent statement of the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, and the Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, on elections to the militancy-torn State. The Chief Minister, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, has dared the Centre saying that on elections only the State Government could take a decision.

Mr. Vajpayee's Independence Day announcement that `free and fair' elections would be held in Jammu and Kashmir `soon' has jolted the National Conference circles with every leader questioning the `status of the Centre' in making such declarations. A `loyal' ally of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the NC didn't even part ways with it when the historical resolution on autonomy was rejected by the Centre. However, this time the party is all set to take on the Centre.

Dr Abdullah, who himself had hinted at early elections once, is now in a different mood, upset over the view expressed by the Centre on the manner in which elections were held in past in the State. He expressed his displeasure over the announcement by Prime Minister and said, ``we will decide when elections are to be held. It will be my decision, my Government's decision''. He refused to comment on the Prime Minister's statement saying he could not understand what he actually meant. ``But it is clearly sole prerogative of State Government to announce elections.'' He also rejected Mr. Vajpayee's contention that the previous elections were not free and fair saying ``all the elections held were above board''.

Even as the Centre is not clear on what it wants to convey by making such statements, Mr L.K. Advani only yesterday said the elections held under the late Morarji Desai's regime were fair. That means all the elections including the two held in 1998 and 1999 by virtue of which Mr Omar Abdullah is the Minister in the Union Government were not free and fair. The NC general secretary, Sheikh Nazir Ahmed, said ``these statements are uncalled for and should not have been made''. Mr. Nazir said the elections were conducted under the supervision of the Election Commission and not any State body.

On the possibility of imposing Governor's rule in the State for conducting elections, Mr. Nazir said, ``we will vehemently oppose it. If that is the case then elections in Uttar Pradesh should also be held under President's rule.''

This time Dr Abdullah wants to be firm in conveying to the Centre that he was the Chief Minister of the party which had two thirds majority in the House. Hence no decision from Centre could be thrust upon him. Only a day after the Prime Minister's statement, he said that elections would be held in October 2002 (when the State Assembly completes its six-year term). However, ground work for the elections has already begun in the ruling party with three more Ministers inducted from the unrepresented districts of the State. ``The party workers have since been sounded on this and they have started working in that direction,'' said a senior party functionary. In fact, the State administration is likely to go through a major shake-up at the level of Deputy Commissioners and District SPs soon.

The main opposition parties in the State, the Congress and the People's Democratic Party led by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed have also started revitalising the cadres in that direction. The election motivated defections in the NC and the PDP have also started taking place. However, the major political alliance on separatist front, the Hurriyat Conference, has gone into oblivion with its chairman on `leave' for an indefinite period and other leaders busy with their own programmes.

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