The Hindu : Much enthusiasm in rural areas

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 23, 2002

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Much enthusiasm in rural areas

By Our Special Correspondent

The National Conference president, Omar Abdullah, at an election rally on the Dal lake in Srinagar on Sunday. — Photo: Nissar Ahmad

SRINAGAR SEPT. 22. Campaigning for the second phase in the 28 segments of Srinagar, Budgam and Jammu districts which go to polls on September 24 ended this evening, with much enthusiasm in rural areas and indifference in urban areas.

The last day of campaigning saw dozens of election rallies addressed by the leaders of different political parties who tried to show their strength. In all 264 candidates are in the fray in 28 segments of the three districts. This phase is crucial since sensitive areas such as Srinagar are going to the polls and a number of political bigwigs are in the fray. They include the National Conference president, Omar Abdullah, the Ministers, Mohiuddin Shah, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Abdur Rahim Rather, Mian Altaf Ahmed, Ajay Sadhotra, Surjit Singh Salathia, Ajat Shatru Singh and Harbans Singh. From the Opposition camp, Agha Syed Mehmood and Hakim Yasin are also trying their luck. Besides Omar Abdullah, the People's Democratic Party leaders, Muzaffar Hussain Beig and Mehbooba Mufti, addressed large meetings.

High voltage campaign

Our Jammu Staff Reporter writes:

The seven-day campaign for the second phase of polls to the 13 Assembly seats of Jammu district ended today with political parties organising a series of big rallies in the city. Jammu district is the largest in the State in terms of population with an electorate of 10,93,203. In a marked difference from the election campaign for the first phase, the second phase was dominated by a high voltage campaign with the political parties bringing in their top leaders to woo the electorate in this part of the Jammu region. The district assumes importance as Jammu serves as winter capital.

The Congress — which won only the Chamb Assembly segment in the 1996 elections — has a lot at stake in the 13 seats of the district as it tries to improve its position in the State. The party brought in its president, Sonia Gandhi, the former Finance Minister, Manmohan Singh, and the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister, Ajit Jogi, for campaigning. The PCC president, Ghulam Nab Azad, devoted most of his time for these 13 seats. Mr. Azad said, "we will repeat the performance of the 1983 Assembly elections when the party won all the seats". The party's main plank this time was the alleged discrimination against Jammu.

Tough battle for NC

The two Assembly segments of Marh and Nagrota of Jammu district had become the centre of attraction for a high profile campaign. The political parties made it a point to bring their star campaigners.

The two seats assume significance as they are represented by two prominent Ministers of the National Conference and the party's performance in the segments may be a hint of the public sentiment in the district.

The Nagrotra Assembly segment is now held by the Cabinet Minister in the National Conference, Ajat Shatru Singh. Mr. Singh incidentally is also a grandson of the last ruler of the State, Maharaja Hari Singh, who signed the accession to India on October 26, 1947. The Assembly segment with an electorate of 62,238 has another distinction — it has never returned the same MLA twice.

The National Conference has again fielded Mr. Ajat Shatru Singh. The Assembly segment has a considerable chunk of Gujjar voters and also Rajputs. Last time, a considerable chunk of both communities voted for the National Conference, and the Janata Dal was a close second. But this time, the high profile National Conference Minister is locked in a triangular electoral battle with a Congress Gujjar candidate, Abdul Hamid, and the BJP's local candidate, Jugal Kishore.

The Assembly segment which is one of the largest in the State is spread over 200 km. The Congress' campaign was led by its high-profile National Gujjar leader, Avatar Singh Badanna. Today the PCC president, Ghulam Nabi Azad, accompanied by the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Ajit Jogi, campaigned for the party.

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