Date:17/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/17/stories/2007111753431300.htm

National

Poonch election spirits up parties

Staff Reporter

POONCH: The December 12 Poonch by-election, a precursor to the 2008 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls, has spirited up political parties here.

The Congress and the National Conference are the main contenders for the seat that fell vacant following the death of Ghulam Mohammad Jan of the NC.

In the 2002 election, Yash Paul (Congress) lost the seat by a narrow margin. He is set to be the party’s Congress nominee again, while the NC is in a state of confusion over whether it should field Ejaz Jan, son of the deceased legislator; or Dr. Shehnaz Ganai, who is said to have given up a government job on the advice of the former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah.

Some NC supporters have added to the confusion, mentioning the name of Bashir Naz, a Legislative Council member.

Poll issues

The NC seeks to corner the Congress on the plank of poor relief and rehabilitation work in the Assembly segment, which was affected by the 2005 earthquake. The Congress, on the other hand, is taking credit for the government carrying forward the peace process with Pakistan by opening the Line of Control.

Poonch, with the maximum number of divided families in the State, has been the main beneficiary of this move.