As Congress celebrates a strong showing in Kashmir, its struggle in Jammu raises questions about electoral strategy and regional dynamics
Late one night in August this year, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appeared in Srinagar바카라s city centre Lal Chowk. He had an ice cream at a local parlour like any other Kashmiri. He interacted with people and many took pictures with him on their mobile phones. This was not for the first time Rahul Gandhi interacted with Kashmiris recently. During his 바카라Bharat Jodo Yatra바카라, he was seen hugging locals, wearing Kashmir바카라s traditional attire 바카라pheran바카라, and having long interactions with locals.
바카라I have an old bond with Kashmir. I have a blood relation with Kashmir,바카라 Rahul Gandhi had said later. Rahul Gandhi바카라s assertion seems to have resonated in the Assembly polls results. On Tuesday, Congress won six seats from the Valley.
However, out of the 43 Assembly seats in Jammu, Congress has been able to win only a single seat바카라 Rajouri (ST) seat, where its candidate Iftikhar Ahmed registered victory by a margin of 1,404 votes.
The seats that the party has won in Kashmir include Wagoora-Kreeri, where its candidate Irfan Hafiz Lone has won by a margin of 7751 votes; Nizamudin Bhat won Bandipora seat by a margin of 811 votes; from Central-Shalteng seat in Srinagar, the party바카라s J&K chief Tariq Hamid Karra won by a margin of 14,395 votes; Ghulam Ahmad Mir won Dooru seat by a margin of 29,728 votes; and veteran Congress leader Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed won Anantnag seat by a margin of 1,686 votes.
The Congress바카라 performance in the Jammu region has been 바카라dismal바카라 for political observers considering the resentment against BJP post August 5, 2019. The BJP's move had brought outsiders from Punjab into businesses including liquor trade, and it didn바카라t go down well with locals, analysts believe. The Congress바카라 lacklustre show in Jammu despite the 바카라resentment바카라 against BJP has sent alarm bells ringing in Congress as well.
Congress바카라 J&K chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma says the results for the party is on 바카라unexpected lines바카라. 바카라Despite the resentment against the BJP we witnessed on ground, it has not translated into votes for us,바카라 he said.
The party believes that the people in Jammu were 바카라angry바카라 with the BJP over unemployment and also electricity tariff hike. However, it just didn바카라t translate into votes for Congress, the party leaders believe. 바카라BJP created a narrative in Jammu against Kashmir. They created an atmosphere of hatred,바카라 said Sharma.
However, Sharma conceded that the party needs to do 바카라thorough and in depth introspection바카라 to chalk out the reason for 바카라huge바카라 losses in Jammu. 바카라We will do a holistic analysis with our ground workers. Our worry is the margin of losses,바카라 said Sharma.
There is also a belief that Congress focused more on Haryana than Jammu region, which helped BJP. However, a senior party leader, who is not authorised to speak to the media, said 바카라Jammu was polarised by BJP. It is simple바카라.
바카라We had done vigorous campaigning. Our senior leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Khargejee (Mallikarjun Kharge) did campaigning. We also brought Himachal Pradesh deputy CM, former Punjab CM to Jammu. It didn바카라t work for us,바카라 he said.
As per the Congress leader, BJP 바카라played Hindu vs Muslim card바카라 in Jammu which reaped dividends for it in Assembly poll results.
바카라You have to see lot of things were at work. They(BJP) gave voting rights to West Pakistan refugees, voting rights to Christians living in colonies...All these things fared well for them(BJP),바카라 he said.