Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Oct 9: Reacting to reports that Jamaat-e-Islami failed to make an impact in the recently concluded assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir, the party’s spokesperson described their performance as a positive restart.
Shamim Ahmad Thoker, head spokesperson for the Jamaat-e-Islami panel, said the party’s results were commendable given they only had a few weeks to campaign. He said that long-established parties have struggled to make a mark, yet candidates backed by Jamaat-e-Islami performed well.
“For instance, Sayar Ahmad Reshie from Kulgam garnered over 25,000 votes against a candidate supported by a coalition of three major parties: CPIM, NC, and Congress,” he said. “Securing 25,000 votes against a five-time MLA is no small feat.”
Thoker acknowledged that many Jamaat-e-Islami supporters chose to abstain from voting due to various apprehensions. A different outcome could have been possible had they participated, he said.
He expressed gratitude to all workers who supported Jamaat candidates, saying the party operated without funds, relying instead on community support.
Looking ahead, the spokesperson expressed hope that the INDIA alliance, which secured a majority, will meet the expectations of the people and fulfill the promises outlined in their manifestos.
Regarding future strategies, Thoker said the Jamaat panel will reconvene to discuss their next steps in upcoming meetings.
Notably, this was Jamaat-e-Islami’s first electoral participation since 1987, with party members previously opting out of elections to protest the alleged rigging of that year.
