news details |
|
|
| Front of disparate elements | | Rajya Sabha polls | | Rustam
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Feb 5: The so-called Kashmir-based Third Front is in complete disarray. Three MLAs who constitute this Third Front are CPI-M state secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, militant-tuned-politician and independent MLA Hakim Yasin and independent MLA from Langate Er Rashid. It's a Third Front just in name, as all the three MLAs are pulling in different directions. That they are not one as far as their approach to several issues, including the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in J&K, is concerned can be seen from the statements they have made during the last couple of days on their stand on the Rajya Sabha polls, which will be held on February 7.
The MLAs belonging to the PDP, the BJP, the NC and the Congress have decided to vote for the candidates they have jointly fielded. The PDP has 28 MLAs and the BJP 25. Both the parties have fielded common candidates and are working overtime to win all the four Rajya Sabha seats. They are also likely to get the support from the People's Conference (PC) of Sajad Lone, which has two MLAs. The NC and the Congress have 15 and 12 MLAs, respectively, and they have fielded three candidates. The NC will lose the election being contested under the Notifications No. I & II, as its candidates would get only 27 votes. As for as the PDP and the BJP candidates are concerned, each candidate will get a minimum of 53 votes. In other words, one PDP candidate and one BJP candidate will win the election hands down. The numbers are such that the PDP and the BJP could also win the remaining two seats, one each being contested by the PDP and the BJP against Notification No. III. It is the number that has added to the difficulties of Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, the NC-Congress' common candidate, who had been banking on the support of Tarigami, Yasin and Rashid.
Till the other day, it was believed that these three MLAs, who constitute the Third Front and had pledged unconditional support to the PDP provided it kept the BJP out of the government, will give unqualified support to Azad and ensure his reentry into the Rajya Sabha from J&K. The belief stemmed from certain statements issued by certain leaders belonging to the Congress party. That their assessment was not really based on the ground realities became clear on Tuesday, when both Yasin and Rashid took a stand different from that of Tarigami, who had announced his support for the candidature of Azad last week, saying that he was for the victory of a "secular" candidate and that he will not vote for the PDP-BJP candidate. While Rashid on Tuesday said that he will not act in haste, Yasin declared that he will "take a call from my conscience and vote accordingly". What they said obviously disappointed Azad whose very political career is at stake.
On Wednesday, both Yasin and Rashid further added to the woes of Azad. The point is that Rashid declared that he was not a member of the Third Front and that it was not easy for him to vote for the Congress candidate. "I am undecided as of now. On the one hand, I wish communal forces not to win, but, at the same time, vote for Congress whose track record is not so encouraging vis-à-vis Kashmir. Even if I decide to abstain from voting, it would ensure BJP's victory. Who doesn't know about track record and future designs of BJP but Congress too has committed blunders and pushed Kashmiris to the wall…The delay in deciding about casting the Rajya Sabha vote doesn't mean I am making it a sensational issue for publicity or any other gains. I feel myself in a very tough and tricky situation where I need to care for my people and my conscience more than that of BJP, Congress or PDP…(I am) not part of 'any Third Front' but his meetings and understanding with M Y Traigami and Hakeem Muhammad Yasin are always issue-specific and doesn't necessary mean we have unanimity on every issue," he was quoted as saying. "Government formation and Rajya Sabha elections are two different things. My offer of unconditional support to PDP for formation of non-BJP government was in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of people, while voting in the Rajya Sabha has directly not to do much with the affairs of the State and any unconditional support for the Rajya Sabha may create many apprehensions in my own conscience," he further reportedly said. It is not difficult to understand what he said. Even a naïve would take no time to understand what the rabble-rouser Rashid meant.
As for the Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) president and MLA Khansahib Yasin, he also rubbished the reports of his "unconditional support" to the BJP. "I would only support the government which is in the interest of Kashmiri voters," he was quoted as saying. He didn't really overrule the possibility of his support to the PDP-BJP Rajya Sabha candidate or PDP-BJP coalition government. He didn't say even a word about Azad.
It is now manifestly clear Tarigami, Yasin and Rashid are a divided lot. Their statements have only vindicated those who always considered their front as a front of disparate elements. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
