Leaders of 3 parties finalize broad agreement
SEC assures fair polls, Harshdev walks-out
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 11: In a significant political development, the Congress high command today officially conveyed to National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah that it will contest the elections in alliance with them after which All India Congress Committee (AICC) Secretary Sudhir Sharma rushed here and senior leaders of National Conference, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Congress met for over five hours and finalized “broader framework” of contesting the elections as tomorrow is last date for filing nomination papers for Phase-I of the District Development Council (DDC) polls.
The State Election Commissioner (SEC) today also held an All Party Meeting (APM) here to discuss issues pertaining to the DDC elections in which National Panthers Party (NPP) leader and former Minister Harshdev Singh staged a stormy walk-out charging the Commission with “taking directions” from the BJP and not giving level-playing field to all political parties contesting the polls.
Sources said PCC president GA Mir this morning conveyed to Dr Farooq Abdullah the message of All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Sonia Gandhi that the Congress wants to contest elections in alliance with them. Earlier, the Pradesh Congress had offered adjustments at district level with the NC-led Alliance but today they conveyed that they will join the Alliance and contest the elections together.
Mir couldn’t be approached for comments while National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah confirmed the development.
The Congress high command’s message to Dr Farooq Abdullah for joining the Alliance in the DDC elections came just hours after declaration of Bihar Assembly election results in which the party faced serious drubbing winning just 19 of 70 seats it contested. Its winning rate was lowest among Rashtriya Janata Dal, BJP, Janata Dal-U and Left Parties.
Immediately thereafter, All India Congress Committee Secretary Sudhir Sharma reached Jammu and along with Congress chief spokesperson of J&K Ravinder Sharma held nearly five hours long meeting with Devender Singh Rana, provincial president National Conference, Rattan Lal Gupta, senior vice president, Sheikh Bashir, provincial secretary and Aijaz Jan, provincial Youth National Conference president and PDP leaders including Surinder Choudhary, general secretary and Master Tasaduq Hussain, former MLC. The meeting was held at Rana’s residence.
Insiders said the “broader framework” for contesting the elections of the DDC together was discussed by the leaders of three parties and there was “virtual consensus” that to the “best possible level” the electoral understanding should be implemented at the district level and efforts made to avoid division of secular votes.
Some of the leaders felt that for complete electoral Alliance on 280 seats of DDC across Jammu and Kashmir, the exercise should have been initiated a long back but now they will try to ensure that there is one candidate of the Alliance on one seat but admitted that this may not be possible on all seats.
“There will be Alliance on some seats but there can be friendly contests also on the others as many candidates have made up their mind to contest,” the insiders said but added that “there could also be “tactical electoral arrangements” among the Alliance partners. According to insiders, the NC-BSP talks on seat adjustments was also in advanced stage but today’s development of Congress joining the Alliance formally might change the equation to some extent.
Congress chief spokesman Ravinder Sharma, who was present at the meeting, said the party has joined the electoral arrangement with NC and like-minded parties with permission of the high command.
“NC and PDP are already part of one Group. We will have seat adjustments with them to avoid division of secular votes. A broader agreement on seat adjustments has been reached in today’s meeting,” Sharma said.
PDP leader Surinder Choudhary also confirmed that the broad agreement has been reached for seat adjustments at local level in today’s meeting.
November 12 is last date for filing nomination papers for Phase-I of the DDC polls while voting will be held on November 28. The eight-phase first-ever election to the DDCs will be held from November 28 to December 19 followed by counting on December 22.
The BJP, Apni Party and National Panthers Party are contesting the elections separately.
Meanwhile, State Election Commissioner KK Sharma today met leaders of major political parties to discuss election related issues with them. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Hirdesh Kumar and senior officers were also present in the meeting.
The Congress, PDP and NPP raised the issue of security of candidates and non-availability of voter lists, mandate forms and other such facilities.
NPP leader and former Minister Harshdev Singh staged stormy walk-out in the meeting charging the SEC with “working at the behest of BJP” and not giving level-playing field to all political parties.
The Commission is working as a body of the BJP. We are not getting even mandate forms, voter lists and other documents which the Commission has to give to all political parties. This is just mockery of the system. Even our security vehicles have been withdrawn and we have been left vulnerable to the attacks as we have already received threats from the militants,” Harshdev said before staging walk-out of the meeting.
Congress leader Ravinder Sharma said the party has welcomed the constitution of the SEC but no action has been taken on written complaint submitted by the party to the Commission including “uneven constitution of DDC constituencies”.
“Almost all Opposition leaders have security concerns which are not being addressed as security of many leaders has been withdrawn,” Sharma said.
PDP leader Surinder Choudhary told the SEC that they should have convened the meeting before finalization of the DDC elections.
“What is relevance of this meeting today as tomorrow is last date for filing of nomination papers for Phase-I. Moreover, we received message of the meeting at 8 pm yesterday. We are not employees of the Commission who will attend the meeting at such a short notice,” Choudhary said and added that the Opposition parties have not been given lists of voters, polling stations, Observers and Returning Officers. Security of most of the Opposition leaders has also been withdrawn,” Choudhary said.
State Election Commissioner K K Sharma said in the meeting that elaborate measures have been taken for the smooth conduct of DDC polls and Panchayat by-elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
He was responding to the demands and suggestions of the political parties and assured them that these would be looked into and addressed properly.
Sharma said that the political parties should also actively participate in the ensuing elections which would go a long way in further strengthening the democratic setup besides also taking the governance to the district and grass root level across the Union Territory.
While dwelling on the arrangements being made for ensuring smooth and hassle free conduct of the elections, the SEC said that a fool proof mechanism has been put in place besides synergized coordination between different departments involved in the process has also been ensured.
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