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Azad is best choice for J&K chief minister, says DPAP leaders
DPAP leaders said when Ghulam Nabi Azad’s name was announced as the candidate for Anantnag's Rajouri LS seat all party leaders were on board, including Azad.
After former J&K chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad dropped out from Lok Sabha polls, his party leaders feel that this was the best decision as Azad is the best choice for Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and his focus should be on assembly polls along with a fear that loss at this juncture could have backfired for the newly formed party.
The Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) leaders said that when Ghulam Nabi Azad’s name was announced as the candidate from Anantnag Rajouri Lok Sabha seat all the party leaders were on board, including Azad. However, after the announcement the party got feedback from Jammu and Kashmir and outside (Centre) that Azad should focus on Jammu and Kashmir instead of going to the parliament.
DPAP chairperson Ghulam Nabi Azad backing out of the race for high-profile Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency has set the ball rolling for more politicking, with speculations being rife that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may field local unit chief Ravinder Raina from the constituency.
BJP sources in New Delhi told HT that Azad’s exit prompted the party high command to mull over Raina’s candidature.
Read Here: Mehbooba Mufti files nomination from Anantnag-Rajouri LS seat
Former minister and treasurer DPAP Taj Mohi-ud-Din said the decision was taken after consultation with members of core committee and Ghulam Nabi Azad....“After I announced Azad’s candidature, we started getting feedback that the party should rethink as our president has come to work in J&K not Centre. The feedback came from Centre, so decision was taken to nominate another candidate from Anantnag Rajouri Lok Sabha seat,” he said adding that Azad had a good support base in Anantnag as well as Poonch and Rajouri regions. “Our focus will be on assembly polls and Azad is the best choice for J&K chief minister,” he added.
The constituency, which spreads across the Pir Panjal range to include Rajouri and Poonch areas in Jammu region along with Anantnag in south Kashmir after the delimitation will go to polls on May 7 in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections.
DPAP general secretary and former minister RS Chib said due to the strong image of Ghulam Nabi Azad his name was decided as the candidate initially. “Now it has been decided by him to give a chance to a young candidate Saleem Parray who is an elected DDC member. Azad has remained as ideal chief minister so the majority of leaders and cadres want to see him as CM as he has sacrificed his long career in Centre for J&K and he wants to work here for his own people and party,” Chib said.
Read Here: Former Jammu and Kashmir CM Ghulam Nabi Azad drops out of Anantnag poll race
Advocate Saleem Parray, 40, who is a nephew of former legislator Amin Bhat, will square off against former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti and senior National Conference leader Mian Altaf Ahmed, who holds considerable influence in the Gujjar and Pahari population on either side of the Pir Panjal range. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is yet to announce its candidate.
Another senior leader said the decision could backfire for the party. “At some level our leaders had some miscalculation. In politics win or loss is part of the game so the decision showed our weakness,” he said.
Azad, 75, who formed the DPAP in September 2022 after ending his five-decade-long association with the Congress, was declared the party candidate on April 2, setting the stage for his first Lok Sabha battle since 2014, when he lost from Udhampur seat to Union minister Jitendra Singh of the BJP.
The former J&K CM had managed to rope in several former Congress legislators in his party who were holding good sway in their respective areas in Anantnag, Poonch and Rajouri. Besides backing from BJP, Azad was hopeful of support from Apni Party led by Altaf Bukhari which has a considerable support in south Kashmir due to some top leaders, former ministers who hold good sway in their respective assembly segments. However, talks between Azad and Bukhari failed, which sources said also played a role in Azad backing out from the contest. Apni Party decided to field former legislator and senior Pahari leader Zaffar Manhas from the seat which could also damage the prospectus of Azad as Paharis have good chunk of votes in the Pir Panchal region. As per estimates Paharis and Gujjars form 30 to 35% votes in the Anantnag Rajouri Lok Sabha seat.
Read Here: Kashmir leaders slam delay in construction of bridge after boat capsizes in Gandbal
Surprisingly for J&K CM and former leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad had announced to contest from Anantnag Rajouri seat despite the fact he belongs to Chenab Valley region of Udhampur Lok Sabha seat which he lost in 2014 polls with a margin of more than 60,000 votes. In Udhampur the Azad’s party fielded former minister GM Saroori, he however is seen by the INDIA bloc leaders as “vote cutter” in Doda belt. Azad’s chances from his native place could have been much better.
“We knew Azad won’t contest. When he didn’t contest from Doda. Its not a new thing,” former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah said soon after NC candidate filed nomination papers from Anantnag today.
Former legislator and zonal president Anantnag DPAP Gulzar Wani said that Azad’s entry into Anantnag Rajouri Lok Sabha seat had given hope to people that now they will have powerful representative who is known not only in J&K but also across country but his backing out has left cadres demotivated. “In my opinion Azad sahib hasn’t shown seriousness which has left not only people but our leaders unhappy,” he added.
PDP spokesman Rafeeq Rather said that Azad quit the race fearing he will lose with a big margin. “He (Azad) was uncertain about his win. Moreover the fight seems to be between Mehbooba Mufti and NC candidate Mian Altaf.”
NC spokesman also echoed similar views and said that withdrawal of Azad suggests he may have convinced the BJP of his efforts in Chenab. “First announcing then retracting candidates further indicates their alignment with BJP directives. The BJP has exhausted all tactics in their attempt to defeat the NC but without success. They’ve utilised proxies like Azad Sb, seemingly positioning him as a scapegoat to divide votes.”
