Says BJP still electorally insignificant in Kashmir
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 20: In an effort to avoid the fragmentation of votes and effectively channelize the anti-National Conference (NC) vote share, president of the People’s Conference, Sajad Gani Lone, today urged the Apni Party not to nominate a candidate in the north Kashmir constituency for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
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Speaking at a press conference, Lone highlighted that despite the NC’s vote share dropping to 29 percent in 2019, and facing more votes cast against them, the party still secured its seat in Parliament.
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“We conducted an analysis which revealed that out of the 10 MPs from north Kashmir, 9 belong to the NC. The primary reason behind this trend is the fragmentation of votes. Despite their vote share dropping from 65 percent to 29 percent, they still secured Parliamentary seats,” Lone explained.
Further elaborating, he stated: “In the 2019 elections, the north Kashmir constituency witnessed 4.55 lakh votes, out of which the NC garnered 1.33 lakh votes, equivalent to 29 percent. The remaining 3.82 lakh votes were against them, constituting 71 percent. For every vote cast in their favor, 2.5 votes opposed them.”
Sajad revealed that after discussions, the party is appealing to Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari to help in ending the division of votes in north Kashmir.
“I urge him to consider supporting us in north Kashmir by not fielding their candidate, while we commit to offering unconditional support elsewhere, especially in Srinagar.”
He emphasized that the PC intends to support the Apni Party regardless of their decision on the north Kashmir constituency. “I urge Altaf to let us put together the anti-NC votes and fulfill the dream of sending a replacement to the Parliament.”
When asked if the PC was open to supporting any other party during the Lok Sabha election, Sajad stated, “We have engaged in discussions with some leaders from the Apni Party and have opted for transparency by sharing our intentions here. While I remain open to others, for now, I prefer to focus on the Apni Party’s cooperation in north Kashmir.”
Regarding the BJP, he mentioned that during the previous elections, the BJP secured only 1.2 percent of the vote in North Kashmir and 0.2 percent in Srinagar. “Statistically, their impact is negligible,” he asserted.
To significantly influence outcomes in north Kashmir, Sajad emphasized that a party would require at least a 6 percent vote share, which the BJP lacks.
“While the BJP is a major political force nationally, its electoral significance in Kashmir remains minimal, as evidenced by past election results,” he said.
Responding to Omar Abdullah’s criticism, Sajad remarked that when Omar criticizes them, “he must realize that we represent the people, and his attacks are directed towards them. He should refrain from humiliating the people of Kashmir and fight us on issues.”
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