Next-Gen leaders pull their weight on campaign trail in Jammu and Kashmir

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, May 23

An important feature of the Lok Sabha polls in Jammu and Kashmir this year has been that the wards of senior political leaders also joined the campaign trail with their parents. In one instance, the son of a jailed leader even led the canvassing in his father’s absence.

Be it NC vice-president Omar Abdullah, whose both sons Zamir and Zahir campaigned for him, or jailed leader Engineer Rashid, whose son Abrar led the poll campaign in his absence, the Lok Sabha polls witnessed the rise of next generation of political leaders. Iltija Mufti, the daughter of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, also campaigned in many areas for her mother.

Zamir and Zahir, both lawyers by profession, were seen accompanying their father at many occasions in the Baramulla constituency which went to polls on May 20 and witnessed an all-time high voting. The duo also visited the Keran sector with their father. They also attended multiple party election meetings with their him.

The most interesting campaigning was done by Abrar Rashid, whose father Engineer Rashid is lodged in Tihar jail in a terror funding case. Abrar appealed to locals in Baramulla constituency to vote for his father so that he could be brought out of the jail. He assured the locals that efforts would be made to release all jailed Kashmiri youth if his father was elected to the Parliament.

Iltija was seen campaigning for Mehbooba in the far-flung areas of Pir Panjal in Rajouri and Poonch districts of Anantnag constituency. Mehbooba is contesting the election from this seat, which will go to polls on May 25.

A video clip of Iltija’s election speech in Gojri language (of the Gujjar community) had gone viral in J&K, in which she could be heard urging the members of the nomadic community to vote for her mother. She was also seen making connect with the locals in Kashmir. She also visited the house of BJP leader Aijaz Ahmad Sheikh who was shot dead by ultras in Shopian.

Jai Sidh Bhalla, the son of working president of J&K Congress, Raman Bhalla, also the party’s candidate for Jammu Lok Sabha seat. Controversy had erupted when Sidh had shared a doctored video of Home Minister Amit Shah. Sidh was granted interim bail on May 2. He was also seen campaigning for his father and also gave interviews to the media regarding election.

Rekha Chowdhary, political commentator and former head of the political science department of Jammu University, said while the wards of politicians may or may not join politics in the coming years, “they are definitely helping their parents during the time of need”. Chowdhary added that the son of Engineer Rashid, was filling up the space of his jailed father.

“Iltija had shown interest in politics but it has to be seen if she can make strong decisions in the coming years. It is difficult to comment whether Omar Abdullah’s sons will join politics in the near future but they are definitely projecting a united family,” she said.

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