Indian Express
Sign In | Register Now
Newsletter | ePaper
Indian Express >  National Network >  J & K Polls > 

When Valley joins the campaign

Font Size
  Posted: Nov 24, 2008 at 0057 hrs IST
Related Stories: LS polls most likely in April-May: CECWinter of 62BJP, PDP emerge stronger in J&K Assembly pollsJ&K turnout a vote for democracy: PM, SoniaCounting of votes begins in J&KIn boycott heartland, vote surge drowns separatists
MIR EHSAN, MAJID JAHANGIR & RIYAZ WANI

SRINAGAR, URI: The poll fervour from the Congress headquarters on Maulana Azad Road in Srinagar has shifted to a famous city hotel where the Congress has established its election control room.

This spacious room now looks like a party office with Congress banners, posters, handbills and buntings splashed in every corner of the room. The telephone rings incessantly with workers and candidates seeking information about poll material and campaign programmes.

Dozens of copies of the Congress manifesto are neatly stacked in one corner of the room. The Central high command had sent 10,000 copies for local distribution. “Right now we are distributing poll material and manifesto copies in all the constituencies,” says Congress vice president Ghulam Nabi Monga, while handing a bundle of colourful posters to a candidate from south Kashmir.

The large posters carry pictures of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and JKPCC president Saif-ud-din Soz.

Each Congress contestant receives 2,000 posters and 4,000 flags with the party symbol etched on them. Candidates are also being provided 3,000 cloth banners with slogans of “peace” and “development” written on them in English and Urdu. Each candidate also gets 5,000 paper caps and cloth mufflers with pictures of Sonia Gandhi. Small cardboard badges and stickers with the party symbol printed on them are much in demand.

Ads By Google
In Kashmir, the Congress has organised only two big rallies so far — at Sumbal and Ganderbal. Instead of big rallies, Congress candidates are focusing on door-to-door campaigning and village meetings. “Door-to- door meetings are the best possible way to reach the voters, especially in present circumstances,” says Abdul Gani Dar, Congress candidate from Rajpora.

Khushyun da mausum mudana hain, har gareeb di madat hurn karni hain, sonri shafi sahib di saprasti hain, NC sadi jaggi taqdeer hurn” (The season of joy is coming here, now we have to help the poor, the leadership of Shafi sahib is praiseworthy, the NC will change our destiny).

So goes a pahari song played at almost all the National Conference poll rallies in north Kashmir’s Uri constituency that is witnessing an extraordinary poll campaign.

Vehicles, from Sumos to trucks, hired by the NC, travel over the hilly terrain of this border constituency. They are fitted with microphones, from which pahari songs praising the NC and its candidate Mohammad Shafi Uri blare out. The songs have been composed by famous pahari singer, Tariq Pardesi.

Says Advocate Mohammad Haneef Dilber, chief polling agent of National Conference Uri candidate: “We had made around 750 CDs and people have locally copied it.”

... contd.

Ads By Google
Post Comments
Message*
Maximum characters allowed     
 
Name* Email ID*
Subject* Country*
TERMS OF USE:
The views, opinions and comments posted are your, and are not endorsed by this website. You shall be solely responsible for the comment posted here. The website reserves the right to delete, reject, or otherwise remove any views, opinions and comments posted or part thereof. You shall ensure that the comment is not inflammatory, abusive, derogatory, defamatory &/or obscene, or contain pornographic matter and/or does not constitute hate mail, or violate privacy of any person (s) or breach confidentiality or otherwise is illegal, immoral or contrary to public policy. Nor should it contain anything infringing copyright &/or intellectual property rights of any person(s).
I agree to the terms of use.
View all Messages [ 0 ]
View all Messages [ 0 ]
Group Websites : Express India | Financial Express | Screen India | Loksatta | Kashmir Live | Biz Publications
Privacy Policy | Feedback | Site MapThe Indian Express Group | Work With Us | Adverise With Us | Contact Us© 2009 Indian Express Newspapers (Mumbai) Ltd. All rights reserved
*Recipient(s) name *
*Recipient(s) e-mail address *
(Separate addresses by commas)
*Your Name *
*Your e-mail address *
Select your Country
Comments(optional)

The name(s) and e-mail address(es) you provide will
not be used for any purpose other than to inform the
recipient(s) of your identity. (*mandatory field)
 
Close