JAMMU: While opinion remains divided over the exact date the assembly elections should be held in Jammu and Kashmir, various political parties have demonstrated their keenness to forge a united front for contesting the proposed poll. The Central Government is said to be seriously considering suggestions from state Congress leaders and Governor K.V. Krishna Rao, who have been insisting on holding the assembly poll towards the end of July. They are in favor of an elected government by the first week of August However, the Neuronal Conference, led by Dr. Faroog Abdullah and his political friends belonging to the Congress dissident group, Congress (T), and Communists have conveyed to the Prime Minister that the proposed poll be held somewhere in October so that the first session of the new assembly can be held in Jammu.

Dr. Faroog Abdullah is of the opini0n that since people are waiting for the Center to announce a political and economic package for Jammu and Kashmir and since the state administration will be busy in making arrangements for the annual Amaranth Yatra, which begins in the third week of August, the proper time for the assembly poll was between September and October. The Governor, Krishna Rao, is said to have told the Prime Minister during his recent meeting in Delhi that the security environment was conducive for the assembly poll.

The dissidents in the Congress and the Janata Dal have moved closer to Dr. Faroog Abdullah. When the Defence Minister, Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav, visited Srinagar, the loyalists led by the PCC chief, Mr. Ghulam Rasool Kar, met the minister separately. The dissidents led by Maulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari held a separate meeting with Mr. Yadav. The dissidents, whether in Jammu or Srinagar, claim to have a bigger following than the loyalists so far as the backing of senior party leaders is concerned. Mr. Kar has the backing of Mr. Ghulam Mohammad Mir who won the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat. The party high command had assured the dissidents, prior to the Lok Sabha elections that after the poll process the party in the state would be reorganized.

This was not done because the party high command was forced to accept the viewpoint of the loyalists after they won four of the six seats in the state, Reports indicate that in case the party high command delays reorganization of the stale unit, some dissident leaders may join the National Conference which will further weaken the Congress in the state. In case the National Conference is able to forge a united front it is sure to be the gainer and if it fails, it may not be a big loser as its leadership is prepared to contest the proposed poll without an alliance with any party, particularly the Congress.

Article extracted from this publication >>  July 3, 1996