Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 27: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said here today that National Conference (NC) has, over the last 30 years, become habitual of winning elections with low voter turnout and has thus been a beneficiary of militancy and disturbed situations which could instill a sense of fear and insecurity in the mind of the voters and hold them back from turning up to cast their mandate.
Dr Jitendra Singh, who was interacting with media persons on the sidelines of Udhampur-Kathua-Doda constituency-related meeting at his Gandhi Nagar office here today, gave this reaction on Omar Abdullah’s statement that since 1996, this was for the first time that the State Assembly elections are not going to be held on time.
“The precise reason why after 1996 the ruling party, particularly NC, always insisted on holding the elections on time was that they knew that in an insecure environment, they could manipulate a small percentage of voting and succeed in forming Governments without allowing a free, fair and heavy poll,” he said. If only, he recalled, way back in 1987 also, the then Farooq Abdullah Government had allowed a free and fair poll without indulging in rigging, which consequently triggered militancy, it could have been difficult for NC to form a Government on its own.
“The reason why the NC leadership is keen to have State Assembly elections immediately is that they are feeling emboldened after seeing a dismal vote turnout of 10-15 percent in the Srinagar and Anantnag Lok Sabha constituencies and they believe that if the same trend continues in Assembly election also, they will be able to manage the small voter turnout in their favour and thus, have an edge over the other contenders,” Dr Jitendra Singh alleged.
He exuded confidence that if only the elections are held in a free and fair atmosphere in Kashmir, the common masses of Valley, particularly the youth voters, have made up their mind to bring an end to the dynasty rule of three generations and give a chance to the new forces which have, in recent months, emerged on the political scene of Kashmir.
Earlier, Dr Jitendra Singh convened a meeting of Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Lok Sabha constituency which was attended by the former BJP Ministers and MLAs from the constituency, the party District presidents, State office bearers from the constituency, prominent leaders, activists and youth workers. At the meeting, a detailed analysis was done of the polling on the 18th of April and a road-map was also drawn for the counting of votes scheduled for 23rd of May.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
