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BJP hopes to win hearts in valley
As the sun makes its presence felt in an otherwise cloudy horizon across the famed Dal lake, its lotus flowers are steadily emerging out of the placid waters to cheer the natives of the ensuing warm summer.
As the sun makes its presence felt in an otherwise cloudy horizon across the famed Dal lake, its lotus flowers are steadily emerging out of the placid waters to cheer the natives of the ensuing warm summer.
However, in the labyrinth lanes and by-lanes of the township and its adjoining areas, the lotus is sending a message of a different kind. The BJP's lotus symbol is perhaps for the first time sending a special message to the people here that India's growing monolith is set to make its presence felt in an otherwise volatile political landscape of the valley.
For the first time, the BJP has put up candidates in all the six parliamentary constituencies in the troubled state. Here in the Valley, the party's three candidates have roughed it out as the voice of the BJP committed to a peaceful resolution of the intractable Kashmir imbroglio.
Vajpayee as a brand may be perceived as the USP of the NDA across the country but in Kashmir, the Atal-brand stands out as the only hope of a possible resolution of the problem after decades of bloodletting. No wonder, all the political formations, including the poll-boycott driven separatists, are wary of criticising the Prime Minister.
The common folk appear to have reposed a great deal of trust in Vajpayee simply because he is perceived to be sincere in his efforts to usher in an era of peace and tranquillity in the region.
Ironically, the Vajpayee-branding stops, once the BJP takes over. The BJP continues to be perceived as a new avatar of the old-time Jan Sangh that has for long been associated with integrationist politics bent upon destroying the special status of the State.
According to Dr Iftikhar Sadiq, BJP's nominee from the Srinagar seat, the people are rediscovering the party as a benefactor of the Kashmiris, given their love and admiration for Vajpayee.
“We are not in the fray just to grab a seat here and there but to clear the peoples' misconceptions about the BJP," said Iftikhar, the grandson of former CM G.M. Sadiq.
