E-Paper
J&K polls: Hectic campaigning over, it’s time for candidates to unwind
After hectic campaigning, now it’s time to relax. Leaders who contested and campaigned in assembly polls in J&K are having some leisure and adventure. While the majority of them are now relaxing at home and taking a rest, some have started reading books, another joined a football club and some plan to go trekking.
After hectic campaigning, now it’s time to relax. Leaders who contested and campaigned in assembly polls in J&K are having some leisure and adventure. While the majority of them are now relaxing at home and taking a rest, some have started reading books, another joined a football club and some plan to go trekking. NC veteran Farooq Abdullah was golfing.
For the 90 seats of UT, 873 candidates were trying their luck, apart from candidates of different political parties more than 100 independent candidates were also in the fray.
PDP youth president Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra who contested polls from Pulwama and campaigned for different candidates across Kashmir said he is taking rest and joined a football club. “It was a very hectic campaign not only in my own constituency but also in other constituencies. I have started focusing on health after month-long fatigue and stress and joined football club Kashmir avengers,” he said. Parra contested back-to-back two elections, first Lok Sabha election from Srinagar Lok Sabha seat and stood runner up and was the candidate of PDP from Pulwama which went to polls in first phase of elections on September 18.
The elections in J&K were held after a decade and abrogation of Article 370 and fresh delimitation exercise.
Congress candidate Irfan Hafeez Lone who contested election from Kreeri Wagoora constituency which went to the polls on October 1 said he also wants to take a short break and spend time with family. “It was a very hectic schedule. My elections finished yesterday evening. From morning I am attending guests.” Lone ran a very hectic campaign and was joint candidate of Congress and the National Conference.
Yawar Shafi Banday, who was the PDP candidate from Shopian in south Kashmir, said that after the polls completed, he took a few days of rest and then started focusing on his constituency.
The four districts of south Kashmir went to polls in the first phase of elections on September 18 and many candidates were also busy in campaign in other parts of J&K.
National Conference chief spokesman, Tanvir Sadiq, who contested from Zadibal constituency in Srinagar said that after a hectic schedule he is taking time for family and friends. “I am meeting people and accessing the overall situation and taking out time for family and friends. The long wait till October 8 was unnecessary and was avoidable - but like all others it’s a wait and watch,” he said.
In this election besides Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, former CMs Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mehbooba Mufti also campaigned for their candidates across J&K. Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari and Peoples Conference chairman Sajjad Lone also addressed dozens of rallies seeking votes for their candidates.
Zuhaib Mir who contested from Lal Chowk constituency said after finishing the campaigning, he started travelling. “After a hectic campaign I wanted some alone time to restart the book where I left it.”
Congress candidate from Baramulla Mir Iqbal said he plans to go on a trekking trip in his own area. “My area has several beautiful places which reach Gulmarg Botapathari and other places. I plan to go up in the mountains and spend some quality time there.”
Dr Kaleemullah Lone, who has done PhD in computer science and is a Jamaat-backed candidate contesting from Langate, said he is still meeting his workers who are coming to his place. “I am busy with my workers,” he added.
