Campaigning alone despite being part of the INDIA bloc, the PDP candidates especially the party chief Mufti and the Srinagar seat’s candidate Waheed ur Rehman Parra are attracting good crowds in their rallies and road shows
The Peoples Democratic Party led by Mehbooba Mufti is on a revival mode after losing most of its senior leaders post the abrogation of Article 370– courtesy vigorous poll campaigning, symbolism and messaging of being left alone for Lok Sabha elections and also wooing of the youth, women and tribal voters with an appeal that they shouldn’t boycott this time.
Campaigning alone despite being part of the INDIA bloc, the PDP candidates especially the party chief Mufti and the Srinagar seat’s candidate Waheed ur Rehman Parra are attracting good crowds in their rallies and road shows.
The PDP leaders feel this Lok Sabha polls have galvanised the cadres of party across Kashmir and term it as an opportunity to prove its mettle on ground. “We are receiving very good response across Kashmir and the comments about PDP by former chief minister Omar Abdullah has triggered our workers who are working very hard for the party,” said PDP chief spokesman Suhail Bukhari.
Earlier NC vice president Omar Abdullah had described the PDP as party which stood on number three in Anantnag Lok Sabha seat in 2019 and also termed the party weak after exodus of many senior leaders.
Omar had said that NC president had tried to bring everybody along (in PAGD) to fight together. “If anybody was selfish it was pen and inkpot people because the formula used in distributing DDC elections mandate was also used in parliamentary elections,” he had said.
On ground PDP candidates especially its youth president Waheed ur Rehman Parra who is contesting from Srinagar LS seat, has managed to hold good public rallies and roadshows not only in assembly segments of Srinagar but also in Pulwama and Shopian districts which are now part of Srinagar Lok Sabha seat post delimitation.
Parra is attempting to create his space among the youth by invoking how he was also jailed and allegedly harassed. Parra, who wasn’t allowed to take oath as DDC member from Pulwama after he won from jail, is being targeted by opponents especially Apni Party which feels the youth leader is cutting their votes in Srinagar. “Our rallies and roadshows have given us confidence that we are in direct contest with opponents on all three seats of Kashmir. Those who claimed PDP is weak will get answer on June 4,” said Tahir Sayed, PDP leader who is campaigning in north Kashmir for party candidate Fayaz Mir.
Even the roadshows and rallies of former CM Mufti are getting good mobilisation in Anantnag but she is also receiving good response in Rajouri and Poonch regions which is part of Anantnag Rajouri Lok Sabha seat which Mufti lost in 2019. “After 2019, the party had suffered set backs one after another. Now those who left the party are again approaching for rejoining and which in itself is a big achievement especially when everybody was trying to break the party,” said Rafeeq Rather, party’s senior leader in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Even Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter Iltija Mufti, who has been campaigning for her, has struck a cord with the people especially young women.
