Since exodus, elections in Kashmir have come a third time, this time with more furry and local, national and international attention. Pro-election elements in Kashmir have increased. Pakistan feels elections as a red rag to bull and reacts feroviously through overt and covert elements. Overt are the pronouncements by Musharaf and the assaults by his men in Jammu and Kashmir targetting anything connected with elections. Covert are his cohorts of Hurriat Conference. Who, though much more muted this time, carry the same anti-election tune.

 Kashmiri Pandits’ reaction is symbolic of its leadership confusion. A meeting, as reported in Koshur Samachar, was held in Delhi to arrive at a common approach. Panun Kashmir, as usual played the spoilt sport in frustrating any common approach. It gave a call for bycotting the elections. Why? God knows. May be out of boredom. Otherwise why give a call which no body obeys - rather exposes the ineffectiveness of the caller. Interestingly, both factions of Panun Kashmir, who are otherwise on each others throat, found a common cause in the matter. They were joined by an entity named ASKPC (excuse my not giving the expansion, for expansion really mean nothing). It is an organ headed by Mr. Trichal. A long time communist and a fellow traveller of Sadiq, now turned communalist. Why? Yes to work as fifth column to break Yuvak Sabha, which perhaps he didn’t succeed but was only able to add one more non-elected entity, to a large number of such so-called KP organisations. He has joined Panun Kashmir in the boycott call.

 How woefully KPs can defy unity to their own detriment, is clear from this election. A Muslim journalist from Jammu has vividly pointed to this in a Jammu paper. Had the KPs decided to put one candidate each in six constituencies of Srinagar, where the poll percentage was as low as 11%, all the six would have got elected to the Assembly, on the basis of votes of the displaced KPs.  We would in that case have had a real say in the power game of the state, particularly, if no party had absolute majority. What actually happened is that more than a dozen of KPs have stood for elections, representing different organisations or as independents. Habba Kadal constituency alone had nine KPs fighting for the seat. Results you can yourself judge.

 The mandate from parties for KPs was a story in itself. National Conference, we are told, was in a mood to give ticket to one Kashmiri Pandit. Farooq favoured a kin of Late P.L.Handoo. There was struggle in Handoo family itself whether it should be the son or the son-in-law. The fued was so strong that Farooq had to decide against allotting a ticket to any of them.

 Tail Piece: It was remoured in Jammu that the Head of one Panun Kashmir faction had approached Farooq for an NC ticket for its national organiser, forgetting the boycott call. Farooq was unmoved.
 
 

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