Mir Farhat
Srinagar, Apr 30: Even though the National Conference has been repeatedly appealing voters that the ongoing Parliamentary elections are for choosing a secular Prime Minister and warning about voting for “communal” Narendra Modi, voters who cast their votes today had neither secular nor communal candidate in mind.
“What we have to do with (Narendra) Modi or Rahul Gandhi. We voted for development and change,” retorted a group of youth in Bamloora village of Ganderbal district, showing their inked fingers outside the Saloora- E 41 polling station.
Asked they are being represented by the Chief Minister himself? “Yes, we are. But we have seen him here only once that too for campaigning for his father,” they said. None of them wanted to be named.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah himself represents Ganderbal Assembly segment and has campaigned for his father and party candidate, Farooq Abdullah, by attacking opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and drawing a link between Modi and PDP.
However, in Vailoo village long queues of voters were upbeat. “Government has made our constituency as model constituency. We have good roads and other infrastructure. We want to re-elect our candidate as he cared for us”, said Abdul Rashid while coming out of the polling booth.
Parveez Ahmad from Fatehpora village remembers a rally he attended in Wakoora village in which Omar “created Modi’s fear among us by talking about Gujarat riots and attacked PDP in the same breath”.
“We need development of our area, and for that we need a good representative who can bring funds and other schemes from the Centre,” Ahmad, 28, said after casting his vote at Fatehpora polling station.
Ahmad said he is least worried whether BJP or Congress forms the Government at the centre. “What worries me is my unemployment. I voted for the candidate who can deliver by helping establish industries and thus create jobs,” he said.
Ganderbal which is known as the bastion of NC where all the three generations of Abdullah’s – from NC founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, the present incumbent Farooq Abdullah and present Chief Minister Omar Abdullah- owe their political existence in the State, witnessed sluggish turnout at its polling booths in the noon.
In Duderhama-A polling station, the polling staff, sitting in chairs were basking in the morning sun as only 17 voters out of 867 had turned up till 10 a.m.
At Saloora-C where three polling stations were housed in a girls school, out of 2558 votes only 30 were cast till noon as youth pelted stones toward the polling stations.
Sheikh Ghulam Ahmad Saloora, who was the long time NC loyalist and main face of the party in Saloora area, told Excelsior over phone that he and his family cast their vote, “but all against Sheikh family”.
In Baba Nagri, Kangan in district Ganderbal, a Gujjar youth, Gulldin, said that ruling coalition has developed their area. “Our area has flourished under the ruling coalition. Our youth have been employed suitably. We want to vote for the time tested candidate”, he added.
In Srinagar’s Mahjoor Nagar, an 80-year-old Sikh voter, Jandh Singh ridiculed when asked about whether he voted for Modi or Rahul Gandhi. “What we have to do with Modi or Rahul Gandhi. Our children have left us to find jobs outside and politicians are talking about Modi and Rahul. I voted to change my representative and elect one who can create jobs and help me bring my children back,” Singh said, while leaning over his walking-stick.
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