NEW DELHI: Sources suggest that Rashid’s 26-year-old son Abrar was not looked at as someone who would be leading political rallies at his age or campaign extensively on behalf of his father who is in prison.
The Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency of Jammu and Kashmir is turning up to be a surprise triangular contest between the National Conference’s ex chief minister Omar Abdullah, separatist-turned-mainstream-politician Sajad Lone (chief of People’s Conference) and the jailed candidate Abdul Rashid Sheikh (also known as Engineer Rashid).
As the voting is set to take place in the fifth phase of elections on 20 May, the National Conference and People’s Conference had not expected any substantial political movement from Awami-e-Ittihad Party (AIP) headed by Rashid, according to party insiders. Sources suggest that Rashid’s 26-year-old son Abrar was not looked at as someone who would be leading political rallies at his age or campaign extensively on behalf of his father. Moreover, a senior leader said, the public has also supported him amplifying his hope to win the seat for his father, and motivated him to go all guns blazing against rival candidates.
The unanticipated emergence of Rashid has also led to a recalibration of strategy by both the sides. According to party leaders, the two parties (NC and PC) seem to be lagging behind on the narrative front. The leader added, “There is sea of crowd supporting Rashid’s son. And this is the first time people have come out like this, and spending their own money like this for a candidate. They are telling people that there are thousands of Kashmiri youngsters in Tihar and Engineer Rashid is also in the same jail, so this vote should be against the Tihar Jail.”
A senior leader of I.N.D.I. Alliance said, “There could be a major upset seeing the way National Conference is responding. Omar Abdullah recently said in a press conference that he was the first to declare himself as the candidate from that seat and had he known that Engineer Rashid would also be contesting from there, we would have considered that. That statement shows how things have become fluid in the constituency. This is a big statement, which means Omar has recognized that things are not easy for him.”
According to a political analyst in the region, “This is a high profile battle. Sajad Lone is also a strong candidate from Baramulla but Omar had thought that he could crush anyone with the NC’s cadre strength. But he didn’t expect Rashid’s campaigning to catch pace like this. If Omar were to lose against Lone, he would be saying that Central forces helped Lone to defeat him. In both ways (whether losing or winning) Omar was safe. But if he loses against Rashid, what will he say? Engineer Rashid has emerged out of the blue. And the battle has become neck to neck. Lone may still be perceived as BJP’s proxy by people and may not get votes beyond some pockets. However, people want to vote this time and whoever has been able to invoke people enough would be victorious.”
Incarcerated Abdul Rashid Sheikh, filed his nomination papers through his representative from the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat on April 29 while Omar Abdullah filed his nomination on 2 May and Lone confirmed his candidature officially on 1 May. In the last parliamentary elections, Rashid got more than 1 lakh votes, losing to National Conference’s Akbar Lone by around 30,000 votes.