Srinagar: A day before counting begins for six parliamentary constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, the already fragile ruling National Conference (NC)- Congress alliance seems to be in troubled waters.
The leadership of both parties, over the past few days have engaged in a war of accusations, blaming each other for cross voting, indicating that the coalition has already conceded its defeat.
It all started last week, when NC Additional General Secretary, Dr Shaikh Mustafa Kamal, known for Congress bashing, dropped a bombshell while stating that Congress workers from South Kashmir voted in favour of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Mehbooba Mufti, instead of coalition candidate Dr Mehboob Beigh for the Anantnag parliamentary seat.
The senior Congress leader and state Health Minster, Taj Mohi-u-Din, while firing back stated that NC and Congress workers from Uri voted in favour of PDP candidate Muzzaffar Hussain Beigh instead of alliance candidate Sharif-u-Din Shariq for the Baramullah constituency that went to polls on May 7.
Taj reportedly said that the supporters of coalition parties in the Uri segment voted in favour of the PDP candidate not because of the party, but because of the person.
The already charged atmosphere was further ignited by Agriculture Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir, the head of Democratic Nationalist Party and the lone member from the party in the state assembly, representing Tangmarg segment of Baramullah parliamentary constituency.
Mir who enjoys a berth in the state cabinet from the Congress quota said that he failed to motivate his workers in favour of NC.
In his latest statement, Kamal went a step further saying that NC supporters in the Jammu region followed the directive of the party in letter and spirit to vote for Congress candidates, while Congress ditched and deceived NC in Kashmir division, where NC has fielded three candidates under a seat arrangement with Congress.
Indication of a vertical divide in its vote bank and admission of cross voting in favour of PDP candidates in South and North Kashmir by the very leadership of the coalition suggests that NC candidates are on sticky ground in both the constituencies, barring the possibility of winning from Budgam constituency, where Dr Farouq Abdullah NC supremo is contesting, though according to analysts with a small margin.
Quite contrary to the expectations, the situation for Congress too is worrisome in the Jammu region, where it has fielded two candidates that include senior-most leader and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Even for Azad, contesting from Udhampur-Doda and Jammu-Poonch constituency is no cake walk.
BJP candidates are believed to have performed well in both the constituencies of Jammu; however Ghulam Nabi Azad according to observers may register a win due to heavy voting in his Chenab Valley, his home ground.
Frustration in both the camps, as a result of weak performance in the elections and apprehension over losing grip over state politics has reached new heights, where the leadership of both the sides has engaged itself in washing their dirty linen in public.
Congress is now believed to be bracing for a show down with NC. The party feels that forming an alliance for parliamentary elections was not wise decision and it will be suicidal for Congress to carry it forward to assembly elections, going to be held by the end of this year.
Further, Congress has reportedly accused Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of deliberate attempts to criticise Modi during his campaign in Jammu, as according to Congress he knew that even Congress voters have some feelings for BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate.
Whatever the outcome of the poll results on May 16th, the souring relations between NC and Congress suggests that a coalition between the two parties, which had so far not seen any serious trouble, may not last long.
