While most of the mainstream political parties in unison Saturday raised pitch for polls on due date while meeting Election Commission of India (ECI) here, the ruling National Conference stressed that elections must be postponed on ‘humanitarian grounds’.Full ECI team Saturday arrived here to take stock of the post flood situation and holding of assembly polls. The team also held meetings with various mainstream parties here to know their views over the scheduled date of elections.The ruling NC team comprising of its general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar, provincial presidents Davinder Singh Rana and Nasir Aslam Wani while meeting the ECI team here, maintained that the ground situation was not conducive for elections in the state due to the large scale damage caused to the public property by floods. The NC team, sources told KNS, also apprised the ECI that the valley would witness low poll percentage as the people this time are not mentally prepared to vote. “The NC leadership also observed that priority must be given to the relief measures as the need of the hour is to initiate the rehabilitation of the flood torn areas of the state,” they said.
Sagar told KNS that there must be no political purpose behind delaying the polls and the decision should be made on humanitarian grounds. He reiterated that when the police claims to be ready for providing security during polls, it must be asked that how could the relief measures are carried when the entire civil as well as the police would remain busy with the election process.
The three member opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) team comprising Naeem Akhtar, Haseeb Drabu and Mohammad Dilwar Mir apprised the Commission about the ground situation on the state for the holding polls. Talking to KNS, Akhtar said that the party stressed of the polls on due date while emphasizing apolitical approach for the relief and rehabilitation measures. He alleged that the parties who advocate for delaying the elections, actually want more time to lure voters and carry forward the back door appointments and transfers. “They are using this time to fill their own coffers. No measure is being done for the rehabilitation process of the flood ravaged state,” Akhtar claimed.
The state Congress also stressed for the holding polls on scheduled date while meeting the ECI team in Srinagar. The state Congress delegation that met the ECI team included G.A. Mir, Ghulam Nabi Monga and Khemlata Wakhlu. The Congress leaders while stressing for the polls on due date, observed that the party is not in favor of the imposition of governor’s rule and that the election process must be completed till December 15 so that the new democratically elected government could prioritize the relief and rehabilitation operations in the state.
BJP also suggested for polls to be held on due date. The party claimed that whenever the elections are announced in JK, it is ready for the contest. BJP leaders including Bali Baghat, G.M. Mir and Rajendra Sharma stated that whole meeting the ECI team, BJP put forth its suggestion of holding of the elections in the state on due date. CPI (M) state secretary M Y Tarigami told KNS that he apprised the ECI team about the ground realties in the state post floods. “I told the ECI team that best way to rehabilitate flood victims is to have an elected government and holding of election on due date is in the best interests of people,” he said.
Tarigami was accompanied by senior party leaders Ghulam Nabi Malik and Ghulam Rasool Malik. (KNS)