Pulwama Largely Stays Away from DDC Polls, But PDP Youth Leader Waheed Para Draws Some Voters

In the last few years, Pulwama has earned the sobriquet of ‘poll boycott capital of Kashmir’ as a vast majority gives miss to the ballot. Living up to the sobriquet, Pulwama on Monday clocked a voter turnout of 6.6 per cent in the District Development Council (DDC) elections to three seats. But one seat, from where Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) youth wing president Waheed Rehman Para was contesting, witnessed a slightly better turnout of approximately 7.5 per cent.

Going by the standards of Pulwama and considering it is not far away from the volatile main township, where clashes are common during polls, many here thought polling was decent and more importantly violence-free.

Para was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for alleged terror links two weeks back, a day after he had filed his nomination from the Pulwama ‘1’ or ‘A’ seat on November 24. Former chief minister and PDP boss Mehbooba Mufti had said, in her tweet, that the government was implicating Waheed to blackmail and intimidate PDP and other mainstream political parties in J&K who have decided to contest polls. She also vouched for his innocence and even shared a video of former Union home minister and now Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praising Para for organising a mega political rally for central leaders.

“This is a vote against injustice. And I will say it loud and clear that people have come out in good numbers to put an inkmark on the vote for my son’s innocence,” Ghulam Ahmad, Para’s father told News 18 at Niara village. “This constituency boycotts polls but today they have decided to come out and vote with difference,” he claimed.

Ahmad, his close relatives and supporters of Para were waiting to cast ballot outside the local girls college where a polling booth was set up amid tight security.

“Last night the area resounded with firing but we knew immediately it was a mischief to instill fear among our supporters. It was staged by opponents to effect a boycott,” said Ahmad.

“The fake shots had no effect on the dedicated supporters. They understood the game and are voting with vengeance in the morning,” chipped in Ghulam Mohideen, Para’s uncle. “There were some militant posters scattered in the village warning people not to vote. This was all designed to give advantage to rivals,” he added.

The girls college, where Para supporters had gathered, is not far away from the detained leader’s house. The booth had seen 300 votes being polled within few hours. More were trickling in.

The neighbouring villages of Arihal, Tumlahal, Tahab, Payeer and Panjran too saw some polling. In the past, these villages have not only boycotted polls but residents have pelted stones on police and paramilitary.

Mohammad Amin, an elderly villager, said many youngsters came out to cast ballot because they want Para to win. “We are voting today because it is our way of lodging protest,” he said.

While 1,917 among 25,642 residents polled in Pulwama ‘A’ segment, only 1,040 and 1,149 cast ballot among 18,477 and 17,300 respectively in Awantipora ‘1’ and Awantipora ‘2’ seats.

In the first phase, only 6.70 per cent people voted while 8.67 and 10.87 turn out to poll in the second and third phases in Pulwama district. Each district has been allocated 14 seats. In Jammu and Kashmir, 280 seats are up for grabs in an election which is being conducted in eight phases. Four phases have been done and dusted so far.

On Saturday, Mehbooba Mufti and her daughter Iltija had visited Para’s family in Niara. Mufti had told a small gathering in the village to vote for Para if they really wanted to tell government how they felt. “You should vote and ensure Para wins by a huge margin,” she had said.

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