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Saturday,
October 12, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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NEWS ANALYSIS The man who humbled Omar |
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Deserters not spared Swami hints at fresh initiative on J&K Poll can’t address J&K ills: APHC Poll
unrigged, says CEO Normalcy tops Soz’s agenda Panthers Party’s demonstration against AIR Addl companies being moved out of J&K HUJI chief among 12 killed One killed in Pak shelling 4
killed, 45 hurt in bus mishap
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Farooq govt resigns Srinagar, October 11 He left for Raj Bhavan in the middle of the Cabinet meeting which he had convened at his residence this morning to discuss the outcome of the poll. While accepting the resignation, the Governor asked him to continue in office till alternative arrangement was made. It is learnt that some ministers were of the opinion that the National Conference should probe the option of forming a government with the support of certain Independents as the NC had emerged as the single largest party. However, the suggestion was not acceptable to Dr Abdullah. His son and president of the NC Omar Abdullah, who was also summoned after the Cabinet meeting, also preferred to stay in the opposition and wait for an opportune time to come back to power. |
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Vice-president of
PDP meets Farooq Srinagar, October 11 Both Mr Beig and Dr Abdullah remained closeted at the residence of the outgoing Chief Minister for over 90 minutes. Dr Abdullah described the meeting as a courtsey call and said there was nothing to read between the lines for this meeting. The meeting assumes significance in view of the fact that the PDP was bitter with the National Conference and played a crucial role in its ouster from power. Mr Beig has defeated the NC candidate from the Baramula Assembly constituency.
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NEWS ANALYSIS Jammu, October 11 Against 57 seats in 1996 poll the NC bagged 28 and the BJP just two when it had won eight in 1996 election. Right from the day the poll schedule was announced people had demonstrated an urge for change, but were not sure of an alternative. The NC, which had fielded its candidates on 85 seats, polled about 29 per cent. In 1996 it had polled 34.79 per cent. It got worst ever drubbing in the Kashmir valley, which has 46 constituencies, as it bagged 18 seats against 40 in 1996. Its poll percentage and seats would have been further reduced had not the Jammu voters came to its rescue. In the Jammu region, which has 37 constituencies, the NC won nine against 11 in 1996. It won the 28th seat from Zanskar. Though there was hardly any drop in the percentage of votes polled by the BJP when compared to 1996. In 2002, it could win only two seats against eight in 1996. If the NC faced stiff opposition in the Muslim-dominated valley over its alliance with the BJP-led NDA Government. The BJP faced the voters ire in the Jammu region for the way the Vajpayee government appeased the NC by inducting Mr Omar Abdullah in the council of ministers. Fear that the NC was projecting Omar as the
Chief ministerial candidate only two months before the polling, went against the ruling party. And the result was that Dr Abdullah’s brother and son were rejected by the voters from Gulmarg and Ganderbal constituencies, respectively. Also, Dr Abdullah’s reliance on charisma and youth of Omar was squared off by rebel candidates. Infighting within the state unit of the BJP and the RSS-led State Morcha playing uncomplimentary role, which in several constituencies was nothing less than a sabotage against the BJP candidates, mauled it in the Jammu region. In the Kashmir valley voters saw in the three-year old PDP a viable alternative. The party won all its 16 seats from the Kashmir valley and none from the Jammu region. In the Jammu region the voters reposed trust on the Congress which bagged 12 out of 20 seats it had won from the Jammu region. In 1996, the Congress had won seven seats when it had polled 20 per cent votes. This time it had polled about 28 per cent votes and won 20 seats. Another factor responsible for the better performance on the part of the Congress was that its new PCC president, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, kept the party flock together and except for a few exceptions. The dissident camp, led by Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, also contributed to the Congress win from the three seats in Jammu city, which have been the BJP stronghold. The poll results have been on the expected lines, except that the NC was expected to touch 35 seats, and the only surprise it offered was the victory of Panthers Party, headed by Prof Bhim Singh, from four constituencies of Ramnagar, Udhampur, Chenani and Samba. In 1996 it had won only one seat and had polled 1.75 per cent votes from the 44 constituencies it had contested. Even in the past Prof Bhim Singh had been elected to the Assembly only once and this time he was not in the field but guided his party to do better. Another party that got the drubbing from the voters was the BSP. It has won only one seat when in 1996 it had bagged four seats with having polled 6.45 per cent votes from 32 constituencies it has contested. No doubt its secret electoral understanding with the National Conference had allowed it to bag four seats in 1996, the infighting within the organisation and its failure to retain the support of the Dalit voters left it dry with just one seat. This time the Congress got back the support of Dalit voters after a long time. Independent candidates emerged as King-makers after they bagged 15 seats. Some of them won on their own strength and others managed to scrape through with the secret support of their parent organisations, which they had left. Several others had the field fashioned for them by the Congress which did not field its candidates in 10 constituencies. It was a battle between the Mufti and Dr Farooq in Kashmir and between Gulam Nabi Azad and Dr Farooq in the Jammu region. The Mufti proved instrumental in dethroning the NC by bagging 16 seats from the valley against 18 by
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The man who humbled Omar Srinagar, October 11 This was the first time that Mr Omar Abdullah lost the Assembly elections, as he was elected to the Lok Sabha twice from the Srinagar parliamentary constituency during the past five years. “For me it is a major victory since 1947 when dynastic rule ended in Kashmir. Now it is an end to the Sheikh family’s rule in Ganderbal”, said Mr Qazi Mohammad Afzal of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who was declared elected here yesterday. He said the elections were held in a free and fair manner. Mr Afzal has been associated with leaders like Mr Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and Mr Moulana Masoodi. He joined the Janata Party prior to the 1977 elections when the National Conference participated in the elections after over 22 years. Mr Qazi was defeated from the Kangan constituency. In 1979, he joined the Congress under the leadership of Mr Mufti Mohammad Sayeed whom he has been associated with for over 23 years. He unsuccessfully contested the Assembly elections from the Kangan constituency in 1983 and Ganderbal in 1996. Talking to The Tribune at the PDP office and residence of its leader, Mr Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, at Nowgam, he said focus would be on the development of Ganderbal. He favoured talks between the Government of India and Pakistan, besides separatists in Jammu and Kashmir for “peaceful resolution of the issue”. He said his party would also work for good governance and stability in the state. He also favoured the withdrawal of the SOG of the Jammu and Kashmir police. Elected party members are busy meeting hundreds of supporters that have been making a beeline at the party office. |
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Deserters
not spared Srinagar, October 11 The BJP has been the ultimate loser due to the presence of the morcha as the RSS was backing the JSM and campaigning against the BJP. Moreover, the votebank of both parties got split and the BJP managed to win only one seat — Nagrota — with a thin margin against its present strength of eight in the present Assembly. The BJP is also to be blamed for its rout because there were allegations that a rebel contesting against party president, Daya Kishen Kotwal, from Bhaderwah was supported by a BJP leader. The BSP could also retain only one seat that of Vijaypur in Jammu district against four in the present House. Ms Mayawati and Mr Kanshi Ram had campaigned extensively here. The Panthers Party of Mr Bhim Singh has improved its tally to four from the existing one in the House. Another interesting feature is that the electorate did not spare the four influential persons who had deserted their respective parties and joined the National Conference just before the elections. They include Mr Jagjivan Lal and Mr Sat Paul who had won on the Janata Dal symbol, but later joined the NC. Mr Sheikh Abdul Rehman, president of the BSP, who had won with the support of the NC last time, could not make to the Assembly this time from Bhaderwah. Mr R.S. Sharma, who had deserted the Congress at the last minute and contested from Nowshera in Rajouri on NC ticket, lost for the first time. Mr Prem Lal, BJP legislator representing the Hiranagar segment, also met with the same fate. He contested as a nominee of the NC. Although Dr Farooq Abdullah had tried to ensure the success of his ministerial colleague, Mr Harbans Singh, in the Gandhinagar constituency of Jammu by “getting” BJP MLA Piara Singh to desert his party, Mr Harbans Singh was defeated for the second time. |
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Swami hints at fresh initiative on J&K
Chandigarh, October 11 However, the Centre would ensure that no area of the state remained neglected, in an obvious reference to the complaints of discrimination made by the people of Jammu and Ladakh regions. Describing the J&K elections as the victory of democracy and a snub to pro-Pakistan forces, Mr Swami said the people of that state had reposed faith in the commitment made by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, that the elections would be free, fair and transparent. This was proved when the people turned out to vote in large numbers despite threats. The minister said the Centre would hold talks with the new elected representatives of the people as well as those “who chose to be left out of the elections”. It was the principled stand of the NDA Government that negotiations could be held with any separatist group after it abjured violence. Congratulating the people, the security forces and the poll staff for the successful conduct of the elections despite heavy odds, Mr Swami said the government action was two pronged. While on the plane of security, the number of forces was doubled in the State, with one BSF Director-General specially posted there, the Election Commission opened about 1000 additional polling booths. For the first time voter slips were distributed by official agencies, though normally it is done by political parties. At least two members of the polling parties were from outside J&K. Election observers remained in the state right from the time when the nomination papers were filed and results declared. Foreign diplomats and the foreign press were authorised to visit the polling booths unhindered. All these steps, he said, generated confidence among the people about the fairness of the polling process. The results had vindicated the Centre. Referring to the BJP’s poor performance, Mr Swami said the people of that state wanted to throw the National Conference out of power. Since they knew that the BJP was not in a position to form a government on its own, they voted only for those parties which, they thought, could dislodge the National Conference. Moreover, the BJP-Jammu State Morcha alliance could not be made workable and it only confused voters. Mr Swami, however, tried to consol, a BJP sympathisers by claiming that the party had made its presence felt in the valley where it never had any foothold. This time the BJP, he said, contested 28 seats in the Kashmir valley and won one seat there.
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Poll can’t address J&K ills: APHC Srinagar, October 11 Talking to The Tribune here today, Mr Bhatt said that though the two major parties, the Congress and the PDP, had some differences in their approach, these may be able to “cobble up” a coalition to form government in Jammu and Kashmir. He pointed out that former Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had been emphasising that dialogue has to happen and problems had to be addressed”. Mr Bhatt added that the Congress on the other hand was “conservative and nationalistic in its attitude” and style. He said that while Mufti Mohammad Sayeed “recognises reality on the ground”, the Congress had problems in this regard. Mr Bhatt, who had two rounds of negotiations with Ram Jethmalani’s Kashmir Committee since August, held that it was to be seen whether the two parties could go together “if the promises made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir by these parties are honoured. “If they do not keep the promises they will meet the fate the National Conference met.... May be worse”, he commented. |
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Poll unrigged,
says CEO Jammu, October 11 Mr Jain said “it was with the cooperation of the people especially voters that we achieved success”. He hoped that free and fair poll would motivate “marginalised” political and other groups to join the national mainstream and strengthen the democratic setup in the state. The Chief Electoral Officer said that “we had to pool all the resources at our command to rule out any scope for machinations and complaint when we were watched by the international community and foreign diplomats and international media acting as a referee”. “We had to carry out helicopter sorties in Doda district, higher reaches of Poonch, Kargil, Tanghdar, Gurez and other belts for sending security forces, polling officers and the polling material on time,” he said. Mr Jain said many raised doubts on the possibility of holding a free and fair poll but with help from the state administration, polling staff from outside the state, above all the voters “we have succeeded in conducting what may be called an unrigged election.” He thanked mediamen for having reported the factual position. |
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Normalcy
tops Soz’s agenda Prof Saifuddin Soz joined the Congress Party just about when elections were announced in the State of J&K. A former member of the National Conference, he resigned from the NC when he abstained from voting and his one crucial vote had brought down the government. Though he had been in political hibernation for over three years but this time when he joined the Congress he joined it full heartedly. Excerpts from an
exclusive interview with Soz. Q- Why did you join the Congress so late. I mean just before the elections were announced in J&K? Soz: I have been always close to the Congress and was close to Rajiv Gandhi. I had continued with the NC, thinking they might better their ways but they didn’t bother so I quit in sheer anger. ..NC had really fallen in the eyes of the people, in fact even their masters, the BJP, didn’t want to keep them. Q- Would you be made the Chief Minister or will Ghulam Nabi Azad occupy the seat? Soz: Azad ka haq ho sakta hai.” Anyway these things don’t bother me. Its very important to bring about normalcy in this state and I am happy that people wanted the Congress in power. Q- Do you feel elections have been fair and free? Soz: Yes, but I still feel that there should have been Governor’s rule here and I don’t know why GOI didn’t see to it that there was Governors’ rule here before the elections. Q-
What are your comments on the fact that no diplomats from any Muslim or Middle Eastern country was invited to witness these elections. Soz: Maybe a deliberate mistake by the Home Ministry.. what else can I say. Q- Why do you think NC fared badly? Soz: Farooq Abdullah was afraid of even talking to the people. ...There was no Cabinet system here and then his special STF was unleashing all type of
terror.. POTA was introduced by him in this state which was just not needed. Q- What would be your priority in getting normalcy back? Soz: Foremost it will be a full-fledged Cabinet which will be working for the people, to give them a sense of security and well being. Q- Will there be chances of a clash with the GOI? Soz: We wouldn’t be slaves to LK Advani ..We will be working in a truly democratic setup. Q- Did the situation in Gujarat affect the electorate here? Soz: Of course it did. Massacres in Gujarat left a deep anxiety in minds here. Q- What about the separatists ‘call for an independent Kashmir? Soz:
There has to be an open dialogue with them.
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Panthers
Party’s demonstration against AIR Jammu, October 11 Led by the President, Mr M.A. Khan, the demonstrators complained against the AIR authorities to the Jammu station of the AIR and raised slogans alleging that AIR had been converted into “personal property of the BJP and the Congress”. The protesters said that Panthers Party candidates were bracketed with “others” by radio news bulletins on the winners and losers yesterday. Earlier Chairman of the party, Professor Bhim Singh, said the Panthers Party’s working committee would meet here tomorrow to decide the way to support the coalition Government. He said, “It is not necessary that we have to offer our support but we may seek others’ support in government formation.” He expressed satisfaction over the way the voters “ousted” the National Conference. He said once the new government was formed an inquiry would be held to probe the ‘illegal’ means adopted by NC leaders for acquiring huge assets. Prof Bhim Singh disclosed that his party would demand the release of all detainees who did not face serious charges. However, the PCC chief, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, has described the Panthers Party as “friends” indicating that Prof Bhim Singh would be approached for supporting the government. Indications are that the Panthers Party may not remain content with giving outside support. It may demand a berth in the Cabinet. |
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Addl companies being moved out of J&K Srinagar, October 11 “We had received 437 additional companies of paramilitary forces, including the CRPF, BSF and Rashtriya Rifles, out of which 250 companies were deployed in the valley alone. After the conclusion of the elections, the companies are being de-inducted,” they said. While some companies which were sent to Doda for the last phase of elections from the valley had been asked to leave from there itself, few other companies deployed at Lolab were in the process of leaving the state, the sources said. The remaining additional companies, called to guard sensitive polling booths and establishments, would also be de-inducted in the next few days, they said. The forces were in addition to the already existing anti-terrorist grid, comprising security personnel from various paramilitary forces.
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HUJI chief among 12 killed Srinagar, October 11 Elsewhere in the state, nine militants were among 11 persons killed while a BSF camp was attacked with grenades during the past 24 hours. A BSF spokesman said troops of 77 battalion cordoned a village at Kokernag in Anantnag district this morning to nab the militants. When the troops were about to storm a particular house, they came under heavy fire from the militants. The troops returned the fire and, in the ensuing shootout, HUJI supreme commander Azad Hussain Zargar, alias Bilal Siddique, of Kishtwar was killed.
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One killed in Pak shelling Srinagar, October 11 The sources said the Pakistani troops pounded several shells at Keran village in the Karnah sector along the LoC, killing one civilian and wounding eight. The enemy troops shelled the village for almost four hours from 3 p.m. yesterday, they said. Indian troops also retaliated and the damage suffered by the enemy side was not immediately known. The sources said the Pakistani troops had intensified shelling in several sectors after the election process was set in motion in the state.
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4 killed,
45 hurt in bus mishap Jammu, October 11 The incident took place yesterday evening when the driver was negotiating a curve while the bus was on its way from Rajouri to Manjakote. The injured have been admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital, the police said.
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