SRINAGAR: With NC and PDP, who are part of INDIA alliance, likely to contest the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Jammu and Kashmir unitedly, the two more Kashmir-based parties — Peoples Conference of former minister Sajjad Gani Lone and Apni Party of former minister Altaf Bukhari, which are being accused by parties of having tacit support of BJP – may join hands and field joint candidates in all three Kashmir seats to counter the INDIA alliance parties.
With INDIA alliance parties likely to jointly contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, there is high possibility that PDP will leave the Baramulla-Kupwara seat in north Kashmir and Srinagar seat in central Kashmir for the NC and may seek Anantnag-Rajouri LS seat while Congress may contest both the LS seats from Jammu.
In the last parliamentary polls, NC had won all three LS seats from Valley while BJP had won both the seats from Jammu region and lone seat from Ladakh, which is now a separate Union Territory after abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of erstwhile J&K state into two UTs on August 5, 2019.
With BJP having a strong support base in Jammu region, the saffron party would contest both the seats in Jammu region besides the now renamed Anantnag-Rajouri seat which also includes areas from border districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region.
The saffron party may also field candidates for two Valley seats — Baramulla-Kupwara and Srinagar Lok Sabha seat in central Kashmir or may enter into poll understanding with parties other than INDIA alliance parties, political observers opine. The two Kashmir-based parties — Peoples Conference (PC) of former minister Sajjad Gani Lone and Apni Party of influential businessman and former minister Altaf Bukhari – are thinking in terms of poll understanding for the parliamentary polls.
In this regard Sajad Lone and Altaf Bukhari met last week and deliberated in detail the forthcoming parliamentary polls, sources said. The meeting is significant as it was the first meeting between the two leaders, who are both from north Kashmir. While Lone hails from Handwara, Bukhari hails from Baramulla.
‘NC an enemy’
Peoples Conference and Apni Party consider J&K’s NC as their primary enemy and may feel that Baramulla-Kupwara LS seat is their best bet to create an upset and wrest the seat from NC. If their talks succeed, they may field joint candidates for two other Valley seats to play spoilsport for alliance parties.