People's Princess and the Nowhere Prince
Many a fortress fell from the result box of J&K's Election 2002 - the fortress of Abdullah arrogance, the rule of apathy and, most importantly, the needle of mass suspicion against Delhi's perceived manipulative ways.
No longer is there popular reason for Central Government-bashing and people, though very grudgingly, have come to accept that this time round, honesty of intention was not such a lonely word after all.
This free and fair election has not only put to rest the ghost of 1987 which gave rise to a misguided missile called Salahuddin, but also achieved the difficult task of institutionalising the concept of elections in a region as thickly sceptical of Indian fairplay as the Amazonian rain forests.
On a more popular level, the 2002 round proved that even paradise has to fall in line with the paramount law of nature - the law of change. And it was this change that swept away the dynasty's son Omar Abdullah, who lost by 3000 votes from Ganderbal, a defeat that signalled the body blow to the National Conference regime.
Ganderbal also proved one thing for sure. That Omar will have to work rather hard in forgiving his father Farooq who left a mined political field for his novice son to tread on and get bombed.
But, it is the worst of time that brings about a family reunion which will happen at the former Chief Minister's posh and secure residence but only if the young loser of Ganderbal accepts the balm of a Central posting which he has otherwise sworn to give up. Besides being the harbinger of
reason, this election also proved that it was a Farooq's son vs Mufti's daughter contest. If Mehbooba emerged as the undisputed people's princess, Omer cut a sorry figure as a prince alienated from his subjects. Both wore sports shoes and both promised the heavens. Only Mehbooba talked a
language the masses identified with and Omer searched for words in a mass language he does not naturally speak. In the end, people swore by her but swore about him. However, the war is still to be won by Mehbooba whose victory signs are not half as tall as her promises. In the battle of numbers which will now splash the corridors of power, Mehbooba may just lose the top chair to Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad or, more speculatively, Saifuddin Soz who is said to be Sonia Gandhi's man of the moment. In any arrangement that the Congress, the PDP and the Independents may arrive at
for a workable Government, Mehbooba could at best make it to Deputy Chief Ministership.
Considering she has admitted on earlier occasions that fulfilling people's expectations would be the most difficult bout for her, the denial of a top slot will become the much desired fig leaf on possible failures that emanate from compulsions of complete power. As for the mood in the Valley,
it is upbeat. After all, Kashmir has achieved an abridged edition of azadi, ie azadi from an apathetic National Conference regime. But then the happiness within cannot cloak the paradox without. Take Srinagar. It did not vote and patted its back for having done so. But once the news of NC
being on all its fours spread in the capital city, all were rejoicing and patting each other on their backs again!
Ask the man on the street why he went so wrong in assessing Delhi's clean drive and he has other imaginaries in his pockets to throw out, like the next Chief Ministerial puppet! Indeed, the Valleyites are known to tread on kaagzi logic and often get defeated by their own arguments, losing their own profits. As it may be for them this time. They would prefer a passionate and adventurous Mehbooba as Chief Minister but, instead, may get a disinclined Ghulam Nabi Azad or worse, a lacklustre Soz.
And those heavenly, often impractical, promises of militant indulgence may cool their heels along with their princess who would have reason enough to protest, again with the masses though not with the same conviction and response next time. All said, India has emerged the ultimate winner in
Kashmir whatever wild statements may be emerging from the Hurriyat voice box which has termed 2002 as "a vote against Delhi." The good thing is that no explanations are being sought from this umbrella without a popular stand. And that shows the reluctance of Kashmiris to take it seriously.
Globally too, India can now stand on the high moral ground of a bulky turnout, a clean change and direct snub to Pakistan and its crippled politics of exporting terror into India's undisputed terrain.
Source: The Pioneer, October, 2002
No longer is there popular reason for Central Government-bashing and people, though very grudgingly, have come to accept that this time round, honesty of intention was not such a lonely word after all.
This free and fair election has not only put to rest the ghost of 1987 which gave rise to a misguided missile called Salahuddin, but also achieved the difficult task of institutionalising the concept of elections in a region as thickly sceptical of Indian fairplay as the Amazonian rain forests.
On a more popular level, the 2002 round proved that even paradise has to fall in line with the paramount law of nature - the law of change. And it was this change that swept away the dynasty's son Omar Abdullah, who lost by 3000 votes from Ganderbal, a defeat that signalled the body blow to the National Conference regime.
Ganderbal also proved one thing for sure. That Omar will have to work rather hard in forgiving his father Farooq who left a mined political field for his novice son to tread on and get bombed.
But, it is the worst of time that brings about a family reunion which will happen at the former Chief Minister's posh and secure residence but only if the young loser of Ganderbal accepts the balm of a Central posting which he has otherwise sworn to give up. Besides being the harbinger of
reason, this election also proved that it was a Farooq's son vs Mufti's daughter contest. If Mehbooba emerged as the undisputed people's princess, Omer cut a sorry figure as a prince alienated from his subjects. Both wore sports shoes and both promised the heavens. Only Mehbooba talked a
language the masses identified with and Omer searched for words in a mass language he does not naturally speak. In the end, people swore by her but swore about him. However, the war is still to be won by Mehbooba whose victory signs are not half as tall as her promises. In the battle of numbers which will now splash the corridors of power, Mehbooba may just lose the top chair to Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad or, more speculatively, Saifuddin Soz who is said to be Sonia Gandhi's man of the moment. In any arrangement that the Congress, the PDP and the Independents may arrive at
for a workable Government, Mehbooba could at best make it to Deputy Chief Ministership.
Considering she has admitted on earlier occasions that fulfilling people's expectations would be the most difficult bout for her, the denial of a top slot will become the much desired fig leaf on possible failures that emanate from compulsions of complete power. As for the mood in the Valley,
it is upbeat. After all, Kashmir has achieved an abridged edition of azadi, ie azadi from an apathetic National Conference regime. But then the happiness within cannot cloak the paradox without. Take Srinagar. It did not vote and patted its back for having done so. But once the news of NC
being on all its fours spread in the capital city, all were rejoicing and patting each other on their backs again!
Ask the man on the street why he went so wrong in assessing Delhi's clean drive and he has other imaginaries in his pockets to throw out, like the next Chief Ministerial puppet! Indeed, the Valleyites are known to tread on kaagzi logic and often get defeated by their own arguments, losing their own profits. As it may be for them this time. They would prefer a passionate and adventurous Mehbooba as Chief Minister but, instead, may get a disinclined Ghulam Nabi Azad or worse, a lacklustre Soz.
And those heavenly, often impractical, promises of militant indulgence may cool their heels along with their princess who would have reason enough to protest, again with the masses though not with the same conviction and response next time. All said, India has emerged the ultimate winner in
Kashmir whatever wild statements may be emerging from the Hurriyat voice box which has termed 2002 as "a vote against Delhi." The good thing is that no explanations are being sought from this umbrella without a popular stand. And that shows the reluctance of Kashmiris to take it seriously.
Globally too, India can now stand on the high moral ground of a bulky turnout, a clean change and direct snub to Pakistan and its crippled politics of exporting terror into India's undisputed terrain.
Source: The Pioneer, October, 2002
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