Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti Friday said the power of vote has brought about a total change in the political scenario of the Jammu and Kashmir as Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, sensing the mood of the people in Ganderabl constituency ‘ran away’ in pursuit of “safe” seats elsewhere.“It is only because of the power of the vote and inability to deliver during the last six years that Omar Abdullah didn’t dare to contest assembly elections from his ‘home turf’, Ganderbal,” she said while addressing various roadside meetings in Kangan assembly constituency in Ganderbal district.Party leaders Bashir Ahmad Mir, candidate for Kangan constituency and Mian Javaid Nizami among others were also present on the occasion.
Mehbooba said the proper exercise of vote has institutionalized political accountability and people’s audit never as before in the state. “Nobody can take the people for granted now and Omar Abdullah’s decision of not contesting elections from Ganderbal constituency is the most telling example of politicians becoming accountable to their electorate,” she said.The PDP Chief said Ganderbal district along with rest of the state has already given its verdict against National Conference when it voted overwhelmingly against Dr Farooq Abdullah in this year’s Lok Sabha elections. “By voting against NC in the LS polls the entire Ganderbal district has set a trend for a bigger change to happen later this year in the state,” she said. Having secured a minor lead in just six assembly segments in LS polls it is obvious that NC can in no case emerge as a player of any consequence in the assembly elections, added Mehbooba.
She said the people of the J&K have now got politically emancipated and sensitive and they know well who is going to do justice with their mandate.Mehbooba said the upcoming elections to the state assembly would be a test for the people of Jammu & Kashmir, as they would be not only giving a verdict on Omar Abdullah led government, but they would have to wisely decide about what the next six years which can have a lasting impact on the special identity of J&K, in view of the changed political equations in the state and at the national level.
Mehbooba said like other parts of the state, winds of change are blowing both in Kangan and Ganderbal constituencies and it indicates that Jammu and Kashmir is heading for better, peaceful times.She said the whole district is endowed with unparallelled natural beauty but it has so-far remained untapped with the result its benefits have not reached to the people.
Mehbooba said PDP during its brief stint in the government had started a new phase of development in the area by establishing two Tourist Development Authorities at Sonamarg and Mansabal. “However, the corrupt and visionless government of Omar Abdullah didn’t carry forward the planned development of this area and instead destroyed Sonamarg by converting it into a concrete jungle,” she alleged.
The PDP President said eco-fragile scenic spot- Sonamarg has been devastated by illegal constructions and it has been turned into a concrete jungle without any benefit to the locals. “It is unfortunate that the ecology of the entire area has been vandalized during past six years. Instead of assisting the local youth to setup eco friendly employment generating units, the pristine locations in Sonamarg and in entire Sindh Valley were allowed to be destroyed to accommodate favorites and middlemen,” she said adding destruction of Sonamarg is serious crime against the state.
Mehbooba said once voted to form the government PDP would promote eco-friendly tourism projects and encourage high end tourism that will bring in more returns without any damage to the local environment.Seeking votes for the party’s candidate, Bashir Ahmad Mir, Mehbooba said, “He is the most selfless person who could be available to people of a constituency.”“Bashir has several times risked his life to save people in distress especially in recent floods when he saved the lives of many tourists. If he can do this for the people whom he doesn’t know, obviously, he can do much more for the people whom he would be representing in the assembly,” she added. (KNS)