Valley waits anxiously for May 23 election verdict

Azhar Qadri

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 20

Even as the participation in the parliamentary polls was less than previous elections in the Kashmir valley, people and politicians are keen to know the result that will be announced on Thursday which decides the fate of incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second term.

It is, perhaps, a rare election in Kashmir valley where people are overwhelmingly concerned and also curious to know the poll result. On Sunday evening, immediately after the exit polls were broadcast, politicians across mainstream tweeted their responses.

Not only the mainstream, even the separatist camp is waiting for the result as was evident from Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s comment on Sunday that pinned hopes on the new government to revise the Kashmir policy.

“It is a significant electionnot only for the country, but also for Kashmir,” said Nasir Aslam Wani, the provincial president of the National Conference. He said the election would decide the fate of secular forces in the country and was also important for Kashmir.

The five years’ of the Modi government saw an exceptional rise in violence in Kashmir valley as militant recruitment increased and a major crackdown was launched against separatist leaders as well as several businessmen.

The anti-Modi wave is strong in parts of the state including Kashmir Valley, where all regional parties campaigned for votes on the promise that they will contest against the BJP and stop the Prime Minister from returning to power.

“The people want policy towards Kashmir to be changed and want the political nature of the issue to be acknowledged…people are definitely interested in the result, irrespective of the low participation,” Wani said.

The election participation in Kashmir valley which was held in five phases had ranged from moderate polling in a few Assembly segments to very low polling in most assembly segments.

The curiosity to know the election result, however, is across sections, including those who did not vote. “It is important to see what happens in the result, it is something which will have a lasting impact on us,” said Faizan Ahmad, a Srinagar resident and a government employee who did not vote in the election.

The lack of political outreach and an aggressive policy towards Kashmiri separatists, militants and protesters during the past five years has made the election result closer to heart for many people here.

“There is an interest in this result and there is expectation that this government should go. If it continues, it will be very bad for us,” said Faiz Bakshi, a local business leader and executive committee member of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries.