Former bureaucrat Shah Faesal’s J&K People’s Movement and former legislator Engineer Rashid’s Awami Itehad Party have entered into a pre-poll alliance and opened their campaign with the stand that an alternative political platform to seek a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue and defending the special status of the state was necessary.
The two parties have come together under the banner of People’s United Front (PUF), with former People’s Democratic Party minister Javaid Mustafa Mir, who recently joined JKPM, leading the formation.
The party has released a ‘45-point Agenda of Alliance’, which specifically mentions protection of Article 370 and Article 35 (A), besides revoking of all amendments extended to the state as a step to undo decades of erosion.
Both Rashid and Faesal have strong support in northern Kashmir and their alliance is being seen as an electoral threat to Sajad Lone’s People’s Conference, which also has its political base in Kupwara, Baramullah and Bandipora of northern Kashmir.
The political rivalry between Sajad Lone and the new alliance was evident immediately after the formal announcement of the alliance, as JKPC leader Imran Raza Ansari took a pot-shot at the PUF on social media. “The Sadhbhavana Alliance in making. Interesting!!!!!,” Ansari wrote on twitter in an oblique reference to the army’s Sadhbhavana program and PUF.
The emergence of new alliances and political formations in Valley are also a threat to regional parties like National Conference and People’s Democratic Party, who would otherwise dominate the electoral landscape in Valley. The PDP and NC has already expressed the concern over their political future, stating that the vote bank is being fragmented in Kashmir division while as it is consolidating under the banner of BJP in Jammu division.
This alliance is likely to expand and has the potential to attract political heavy weights like former PDP minister Altaf Bukhari and others who are yet to make their future political plans public. Veteran legislators like Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami, Ghulam Hassan Mir and Hakeem Yasin are also looking for an alternative platform ahead of assembly elections and are said to have been in touch with JKPM.
In the recent parliamentary election, Rashid, a two-time legislator from Langate, managed to get 1,02,168 votes and was leading in five assembly segments, while JKPC’s Raja Aijaz Ali got 1,03,193 votes, but both lost to National Conference’s Akbar Lone, who managed to get 1,33,426 votes.
This “alternative alliance”, party leaders said, was necessitated by the ongoing political uncertainty in the state, apprehensions with regard to “assaults” on the special status of the state and the absence of any credible political platform that could address both the political vacuum and the absence of good governance.
The ‘45-point Agenda of Alliance’ claims that the party will strive for peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue as per sacrifices and aspirations of people, work for and support return of Kashmiri Pandits and revoke black laws like AFSPA, PSA and DAA.
Both Rashid and Faesal claimed that they were open to alliances with anybody and were confident that they would form the next government in the state.
“People need not be confused by vocabulary and idioms…we have started a sincere struggle and hope that people from all regions and religions will support this People’s United Front,” said Faesal.
“Ours is an agenda of hope and we will not lead people down,” Engineer Rasheed said. “Right now, we feel really let down for the lack of credible leadership.”
Javed Mustafa Mir, a four-time lawmaker from Chadoora, made the announcement that parties – AIP of Engineer Rasheed and JKPM of DR Shah Feasal, have decided to enter into a pre-poll alliance in the backdrop of the prevailing situation and political uncertainty in the state. He said there are assaults on the special position of the state and there is a lack of credible political alternative and there is no political force that can give good governance and fill the political vacuum.
Mir said the PUF will engage all sections of the people across the state and will work on the agreed agenda. Mir will head the alliance’s 3-member coordination committee.
“For God’s sake, do not deprive the people of the state of their fundamental and political rights and conduct elections at the earliest,” Rasheed told the central government. “Do not give further excuses any more.”
Feasal said the Front is all inclusive and will provide justice and opportunities to all. He said the history will take note of the fact that when the state was fighting its existential battle, there were some people who avoided staying divided and joined hands together.
“We are not here for rehabilitation but both of us have sacrificed something to serve the people,” Rasheed said. “I was an engineer and I gave up the job to serve people and Shah Feasal was IAS topper who resigned after 10 years to serve the people.”
Feasal said the Front is just the beginning of the start. Rasheed said the people must stay assured that PUF will form the next government. “We have come to serve people after sacrificing something.” Rasheed insisted. “I assure people we will give them corruption and nepotism free government which is credible that will do everything for a political resolution of Kashmir and the talks with Pakistan.”
Feasal said PUF will retain whatever constitutional exclusivity is with the state and will fight for whatever has been taken away. He termed attacks on 35A as political assault and said these will be responded politically and democratically. “It is just a sincere start,” Feasal said. “We will put a serious and sincere struggle because we have given our sacrifice to be here and we have conviction in what we say.”