NEW DELHI: PDP President Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference senior leader Mian Altaf Ahmad Friday expressed their strong opposition to any move to postpone the election process in Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency, which is scheduled to go to polls in the third phase of the current General Elections on May 7, 2024.
Both have written separate letters to the Election Commission of India (ECI), a day after the latter sought a detailed report from J&K administration and Chief Electoral Officer on the condition of Mughal Road, which connects two parts of the Lok Sabha segment across Pir Panjal range.
The report followed the demands from other political parties seeking rescheduling of the elections.
Both Mehbooba and Altaf suspect a conspiracy to manipulate the electoral mandate in this parliamentary constituency where the main race is said to be a direct contest between the two.
In striking contrast to the claims made by the letters seeking rescheduling of elections, the Mughal Road is functional, even though it was closed for several days earlier this month.
The letters of complaint were sent to the ECI on either April 8, 2024 or April 23, 2024. Interestingly, on both days the Mughal Road was cleared for traffic after clearance of accumulated snow and landslides.
What’s the problem now?: Mehbooba
In her letter to the ECI, Mehbooba Mufti, who is contesting from this constituency, said, “We saw a letter from the Election Commission in which feedback is being taken from the people here. The Election Commission says that many people and parties here have asked to postpone the elections. I want to know from the EC that Mughal Road has been opened from April 8, what is the problem now?”
She also questioned, “The EC has not postponed the elections to date due to logistics… My request to the EC and BJP is that you have snatched everything from the people of J&K, now you want to snatch this right from them as well that whom they want to elect, whom they want to send to Parliament. You are doing this conspiracy only to keep Mehbooba Mufti out of Parliament …”
She also shared her letter on her X handle:
https://twitter.com/MehboobaMufti/status/1783725528584794131/photo/1
No Valid Reason: Mian Altaf
A similar sentiment was shared by senior leader of NC and contesting candidate from the segment, Mian Altaf Ahmad in his letter wrote to the Election Commission of India placing on record JKNC’s opposition to any move to postpone the election in Anantnag-Rajouri seat.
“As a political party, we strongly oppose any attempts to postpone the upcoming elections in Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary Constituency. We believe that there is no valid reason to delay the electoral process, even if the Mughal Road is closed for a few hours. If the administration can keep the roads to Kargil, Machil, and Gurez open, then there is no reason why Mughal Road cannot be kept open as well, unless the administration joins in a conspiracy to manipulate the electoral mandate in this constituency”.
Mian Altaf and NC Vice President Omar Abdullah addressed a press conference in Srinagar and shared their opposition to any move to postpone elections in Anantnag-Rajouri segment on their @JKNC party X handles.
https://twitter.com/JKNC_/status/1783793369585746371/photo/1
National Conference Vice President and party candidate Mian Altaf Ahmad from Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency addressing a press conference in Srinagar on Friday, April 26, 2024. Photo/Qazi IrshadWell hatched conspiracy, says Omar Abdullah
Omar Abdullah warned ECI to desist from possible rescheduling of Lok Sabha polls in Anantnag-Rajouri, saying, “The poll body must consider views of other parties as well”.
Omar said, “We heard BJP and their subsidiary parties along with administration and ECI are hatching a conspiracy to reschedule polls in Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary seat, who have cited bad road condition on Mughal Road.”
“I appeal to the Election Commission of India, rather warn the poll body, that such steps will harm the electoral process in Jammu and Kashmir and so should be disallowed,” Omar said.
Referring to the letter released by ECI, Omar said, “Letter is surprising. There are those parties and persons, who are not fighting elections there. BJP and JKPC are not contesting polls. Are they confirming once again that these parties have fielded their proxies there?”
He questioned, “tomorrow if I will approach ECI and will ask them to reschedule polling in Tamil Nadu or Kerala. Does this approach suit me? Will ECI consider my opinion then?”
He said, “If any political party or independent candidate will face any sort of hardship in campaigning, he/she should take the route of Reasi to reach out people.”
“ECI must consider views of every party. If our views are not being entertained, we will reach this conclusion that polls are being deferred in a well-thought-out conspiracy,” Omar Abdullah said.
“We have a letter in this regard and will be sent to ECI,” he added.
Snowed Under: Rajouri-Poonch’s Tenuous Tie To Anangnag Via Mughal Road Calls For Rescheduling Polling Day
BJP complains of snowfall
J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina, who sent a letter to the ECI said in his post on X, “Due to heavy snowfall, political parties are facing obstacles in campaigning. Even Omar Abdullah has been unable to visit Rajouri, and Mehbooba Mufti
was stranded for four hours along with her workers at Peer ki Gali. We have written to the Election Commission of India (ECI) requesting a rescheduling of the poll for the Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary Seat, it is the ECI, who have to take final call”.
Chronology of Mughal Road functionality
The historic Mughal Road, which remained closed for over four months due to snow accumulation and landslides from Dogrian to Peer Ki Gali, was reopened for one-way traffic from Shopian to Poonch on April 8, 2024.
One-way traffic movement from Bafliaz to Shopian was permitted.
Vehicular movement on Mughal Road was again suspended on April 15 for over a week as the area from Poshana to Pir Ki Gali, towards Shopian district, received fresh snowfall, followed by landslides and shooting stones.
The Mughal Road was again re-opened for traffic partially on April 23.
The 90-km Mughal Road stretch, serving as an alternative to the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, annually closes in winter due to heavy snowfall. Snow clearance operations commence with the arrival of spring.
Mughal Road is the link between Bafliaz, a town in the Poonch district, to the Shopian district. The road traces a historic route used in the Mughal period over the Pir Panjal Pass, at an altitude of 3,500 m (11,500 ft), higher than the Banihal Pass at 2,832 m (9,291 ft). It was revived over a decade ago.
Delimitation and Mughal Road hurdle
In the delimitation of J&K’s assembly and parliamentary constituencies in 2022, Rajouri and Poonch districts were cleaved from the Jammu-Poonch parliamentary constituency and added to the Anantnag parliamentary constituency in Kashmir province.
Objections had been raised to this re-alignment of boundaries because the only connectivity between Poonch and Anantnag is via the Mughal Road which remains shut for almost five months or more due to heavy snowfall.
Shopian town is the first inhabited place on the Kashmir side, but it, along with Pulwama, have been merged with Srinagar-Budgam constituency.
This merger of two geographically, culturally and linguistically different units had triggered questions about physical access and representation by different political groups but these concerns were not accommodated while releasing the final delimitation report.
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