Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) party president, Mehbooba Mufti Wednesday said the people coming out to vote in large numbers in first two phases of elections in Jammu and Kashmir have shown that the people of the state have taken their destiny into their own hands and they are voting on the basis of performance.She also said the National Conference and Congress ran a joint enterprise of loot for six years which has demolished them and created a space for a party like BJP in the state.Addressing various roadside meetings in Beerwa and Sopore assembly constituencies Mehbooba said the National Conference and the Congress government under the Omar Abdullah’s leadership in the state for last six years did everything to dis-empower the people; killed innocents; oppressed the youth; resorted to corruption and scams; promoted favoritism and nepotism and got disrepute to the state. “It is the NC and Congress together which ensured that Mohammad Afzal Guroo was sent to gallows with utter disregard to basic human rights values and sentiments of the people in Kashmir,” she said and added when Omar Abdullah was caught on wrong foot at the time of Haji Yousuf’s murder involving the Chief Minister’s residence, it is the Congress which bailed him out.
Dr Shafi Ahmad Wani, candidate for Beerwa constituency and Nazir Ahmad Naikoo, candidate for Sopore constituency were also present on the occasion.Mehbooba said the leadership of NC and Congress jointly did the scams like Drug Scam, PHE Scam, land grabbing, job scam, examination scandal, BOPEE scam and host of other frauds. “Now when NC and Congress are fighting elections separately they accuse each other of the crimes which they in fact committed together during this period. They didn’t object each other when they were busy looting the state together and when they are facing the people they are coming out with the facts about their real character,” she said.
Mehbooba said the people coming out to vote in large numbers and again reposing their faith in the electoral process to see end of their sufferings in spite of huge odds is a healthy development. She said the people have shown political maturity and voted wholeheartedly in favour of the PDP by deciding to put the interests of the state on top and raise their unified voice to safeguard the special interests of Jammu and Kashmir.Mehbooba expressed the hope that the people of Beerwa and Sopore will follow the trend set by the electorate in first two phases of polls and vote overwhelmingly for the PDP which is performing well in the entire state on its way to absolute majority.
“The PDP which is heading the movement for change in Jammu and Kashmir has got the overwhelming response from the people who have voted in the first two phases and we expect the people of Beerwa and Sopore too will reject the National Conference and Congress and other smaller groups to see J&K on the path of development, progress and peace,” she said.
Mehbooba said the pro-PDP wave has taken the entire state under its grip and it bodes well for the people whose sufferings will come soon to an end with the PDP government led by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed taking the charge of the state. “Vote to any other party other than PDP is a waste given the prevailing political circumstances in the state in which our party because of its pro-people and pragmatic agenda has become the only choice of the people,” she said.Ridiculing the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba said he “wants” to make Beerwa and Sonwar, where from he is seeking fresh mandate to the assembly, “model constituencies” as if he had done wonders in Ganderbal, which he has been representing as the Chief Minister for last six years. “Tell me what he will do to Beerwa and Sonwar as an MLA, when he has nothing to his credit in Ganderbal despite being the Chief Minister for six long years,” she told to the people. She said history is witness to the fact that the National Conference has always resorted to lies and other tactics to befool the people when they had no hope of getting to power. “From Raishumari to AFSPA revocation and now talking about making Beerwa and Sonwar model constituencies, the NC has always resorted to the tricks to hide its failures and make the people fools.
Mehbooba said the entire Beerwa constituency is endowed with huge potential for tourism, horticulture, agriculture and trout framing and the PDP will harness that potential to build up the local economy and generate meaningful employment opportunities for the youth. She said once voted to form the government, the PDP will develop Greater Gulmarg by making it an all weather destination and places like Tosmaidan will be covered in it.Mehbooba said Sopore constituency will receive a special treatment and the development deficit which the area is presently facing will seriously be taken care of once the PDP takes over the reins of the state. She said Sopore, once a leading economic centre of the state will get a boost and the horticulture sector, which is the main economic activity in the area, will get a focussed attention. Mehbooba said the youth of the area will be engaged in meaningful and productive works and their creative potential will be harnessed.