Ali Asad
Srinagar, May 17: Amid slogans echoing through the hamlets of north Kashmir, with roads lined by orchards and paddy fields, two young sons of jailed AIP candidate Engineer Rashid sit atop a modest vehicle.
Dressed in white t-shirts and trousers, microphones in hand, they wave to the enthusiastic crowd, responding to every greeting. This is the vibrant scene of the ongoing election campaign in Baramulla constituency. There are no barricades, no whistle blowing vehicles, and no concertina wires. This organic campaign is a rare sight in Kashmir’s electoral landscape, not witnessed in decades.
Abrar Rasheed, 24, and Asrar Rasheed, 20, have taken to the streets to garner support for their father, who is currently lodged in Tihar jail. Whether the enthusiastic crowds at their rallies translate into votes will be revealed on June 4. As of now, the contest in Baramulla appears to be a three-way race, with Omar Abdullah of the National Conference (NC) and Sajjad Lone of the People’s Conference (PC) also fighting for the seat.
Abrar and Asrar, leveraging their youth to connect with young voters, are actively holding rallies and road shows, seeking sympathy for their incarcerated father. Their campaign, although lacking in traditional political issues, aims to highlight the struggles and injustices faced by Engineer Rashid. Their efforts have raised concerns among their competitors, NC and PC.
While campaigning in Budgam, Abrar is highlighting the role of youth in societal change, stating, “Only youth can bring change in the society, and the association of youth with us is a good sign. Our father is in jail, and many of you have someone in jail too. Our father can understand the pain of all of you.”
Omar Abdullah has held multiple rallies in the area, focusing his speeches against rival Sajjad Lone and the BJP. Meanwhile, Sajad Gani Lone has criticized Omar Abdullah as an outsider and a tourist, attempting to undermine his local credibility.
Despite facing resource constraints, Abrar and Asrar have received support from numerous volunteers. “People are providing us with whatever is needed for publicity,” Abrar said.
The Baramulla constituency has historically seen strong voter turnout, with recent elections indicating a restoration of faith in democracy. This trend is expected to continue, with district election officials predicting a high voter turnout following the record participation in the Srinagar seat.
The Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, now encompassing 18 assembly constituencies after delimitation, includes parts of Kupwara, Baramulla, and Bandipora districts, with Budgam and Beerwah areas recently added. Security remains a significant concern due to the proximity to the Line of Control. Comprehensive security measures have been implemented in coordination with security agencies, adhering to the Election Commission of India’s guidelines, official sources told KNO.
Historically a stronghold of the NC, which has won the seat ten times since 1957, Baramulla has also seen victories by the Congress party four times and the PDP once. The current voter base, comprising 11.5 lakh voters, is diverse, with significant populations of Gujjar Bakarwal, Pahari, and Shia communities. In the 2019 general elections, NC candidate Mohammad Akbar Lone secured 133,426 votes, defeating People’s Conference candidate Raja Ejaz Ali, who received 103,193 votes. Independent candidate Engineer Rashid garnered 102,168 votes, and PDP candidate Abdul Qayyum Wani obtained 53,530 votes.
Meanwhile, after Contesting from Srinagar, prominent Shia leader and senior NC functionary Aga Ruhaullah Mehdi is actively campaigning for Omar Abdullah in Baramulla Parliamentary constituency. The votes from the Shia community in Budgam are likely to get influenced by the cleric’s plea similar to that of Srinagar wherein pockets with majority of the Shia population have, en-masse, as per the reports voted in NC’s favour with Ruhaullah as party’s face. The party is expecting a similar situation from the Shia belt of Baramulla.
On the other hand, the People Conference that enjoys support from Kupwara and Handwara areas has been actively campaigning for Budgam and Beerwah areas for the past more than three months. The party is expecting a huge voter turn-out from these pockets on May 20.
