Political parties aghast over ‘no assembly polls’ announcement in J&K

JAMMU MAR 11 (PTK): As soon as the Election Commission announced Lok Sabha election dates on Sunday along with the state assemblies, things got heated up in Jammu and Kashmir as Election Commission decided to hold only Lok Sabha elections in the state.

Many parties have hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over this saying “EC’s decision is the reflection of Modi government’s failure of Kashmir policy.”

The Congress, National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flayed the Centre for not holding the assembly polls along with the Lok Sabha or parliamentary elections.

Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah slammed government over no elections in the state.

He said, “All parties are in favour of holding simultaneous (LS & state assembly) polls. Environment is conducive for Lok Sabha polls but not state polls in J&K? Local body polls were held peacefully, there are enough forces present, then why can’t state elections be held?”

“We always knew that there would be a fight or a skirmish with Pakistan. This surgical strike (airstrike) was done as elections are approaching. We lost an aircraft worth crores. Be thankful that the pilot (IAF) survived and returned from Pakistan with respect”.

The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister also expressed his disappointment and anger at the Election Commission’s decision to not hold elections for the state assembly simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls. “All parties are in favour of holding simultaneous (Lok Sabha and state assembly) polls. The environment is conducive for Lok Sabha polls but not state polls in Jammu and Kashmir? Local body polls were held peacefully, there is enough forces present, then why can’t state elections be held?” he said.

“This is not Indian democracy working in the right direction. I am absolutely sure there is a political design in withholding the Assembly polls,” Farooq had said yesterday.

Citing constraints over the availability of central forces and other logistics, the Election Commission on Sunday said the elections for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will not be held along with the Lok Sabha polls.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Monday slammed the Narendra Modi government for the Election Commission’s decision and tweeted “Denying Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls along with the Lok Sabha is poor reflection and indicative of the Modi government’s failure of Kashmir policy.”

Parties in Jammu and Kashmir criticised the decision to defer assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir and blamed the Centre for “mishandling” the security situation and “surrendering” to militants and separatists.

Former J&K chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said, “Decision to hold only parliamentary elections in J&K confirms sinister designs of Government of India.”

“Not letting people elect a government is antithetical to the very idea of democracy. Also a tactic of buying time to disempower people by pushing an agenda that suits their ulterior motives,” she tweeted.

Omar Abdullah also slammed the Modi-led government and said that the prime minister’s “abject surrender” to the anti-India forces is “a crying shame”. (PTK)