Engineer Rashid’s performance in north Kashmir unnerves political parties
Jammu, May 5: Even as independent candidate and head of Awami Itehad Party Engineer Rashid lost the Baramulla Parliament seat to National Conference and emerged third in the number of votes secured, his performance has unnerved most of his rival parties.
From the winner National Conference to the Peoples Conference that was hopeful of the victory on the north Kashmir seat to Peoples Democratic Party, sources said all the three key main regional players are unnerved by Er Rashid’s performance and have started looking into the development seriously.
Rashid secured 102168 votes trailing by just 1025 votes to PC candidate Raja Aijaz Ali who got 103193 votes where as Muhammad Akbar Lone the wining candidate from National Conference bagged the most of the votes.
With a difference of merely one thousand votes between Rashid and Ali, former’s performance has been surprising because the former MLA Langate has shown his success also outside his constituency.
The results for the north Kashmir Parliament seat show that Rashid has won Assembly segments of Uri, Gulmarg, Langate Karnah and Baramulla.
Analysts said Rashid would hold a key to the Assembly elections in north Kashmir. “Till now north Kashmir was generally a contest between NC, PDP, PC and Congress, but now with majority of votes in five Assembly seats, he (Rashid) has not only unnerved the other rivals but will be a headache for them,” said a observer.
Observers said if Rashid upholds the same performance during the Assembly elections his party will hold the key to government formation in the state.
“This reality has put the major players to introspection and it will have a major impact,” said one observer on the condition of anonymity.
He said the performance of Rashid has majorly affected the hopes of the Sajad Lone to bag more seats in the Assembly elections.
“Till now Sajad Lone was seen as a key player from north as he had three MLAs including him in the previous Assembly and Rashid was seen confined to Langate constituency, but how he is also a main player,” said one analyst.
