The Hindu : J&K parties finalising poll plank

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 03, 2002

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Other States - Jammu & Kashmir

J&K parties finalising poll plank

By Our Staff Reporter

JAMMU AUG. 2. With the announcement of the schedule for the Assembly elections, political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have started trading charges. However, no party has issued any formal manifesto.

Emphasising the need for greater autonomy for the State, the ruling National Conference is projecting the achievements and developments during its six-year rule. And the Opposition is targeting the NC for its alleged misgovernance, nepotism and corruption. Lack of governmental performance is the common theme of the Opposition parties. In the Jammu region, the charge of discrimination is emerging as the main poll issue.

Ruling party sources told The Hindu that in the election manifesto the party would effectively counter the charge of regional discrimination with facts and figures. The party president, Omar Abdullah, has said autonomy will be the issue but "we also have our six years of rule on the basis of which people of all three regions of the State will decide. The programmes we have started and the feel of normality the people are enjoying are the things on which the National Conference is set to contest the polls."

On the issue of an alliance with the BJP at the Centre, which may hurt its prospects, senior NC leaders say the party did not compromise on its basic ideology.

For instance, it abstained during the vote in Parliament on Gujarat.

At the other extreme, the RSS-sponsored Jammu State Manch is entering the election scene with the trifurcation demand if the BJP fails to accept it.

The latter has adopted for the first time a proposal for transfer of more powers to the Jammu and Ladakh regions to end the complaint of regional discrimination. The party feels that this will neutralise the adverse effect on the party's traditional urban vote bank in Jammu to the appointment of Arun Jaitely as the Centre's interlocutor to discuss devolution of power.

The Congress, which is hoping to regain its old status of being the major party in the region, is considering more tangible measures in its manifesto for correcting regional imbalance.

Party sources said the former Finance Minister, Manmohan Singh, was working on a formula for this purpose.

The sources add that Dr. Singh had also asked for certain documents from experts.

The poll plank of the People's Democratic Party, led by the former Union Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, going by its election speeches, is that the National Conference has failed on all fronts.

The party promises to get rid of what it calls a "dynastic rule".

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J&K parties finalising poll plank