Srinagar: In a significant political development, the incarcerated Member of Parliament, Engineer Rashid's Awami Ittihad Party (AIP) has announced its candidates for nine Assembly constituencies in south Kashmir. Notably, most of the nominees were previously affiliated with the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and have recently joined AIP, securing the party’s mandate for the upcoming elections.
The defection of several key political figures from PDP to AIP suggests growing confidence in Rashid’s party, with AIP leaders claiming that their party is emerging as a viable alternative to other local political entities in Jammu and Kashmir. Following AIP's unexpected performance in this year's Lok Sabha elections where Rashid defeated former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and People's Conference's Sajad Lone by over 200,000 votes from behind bars, the party has now decided to field candidates across all Assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir. The party leadership asserts that just as Rashid's Lok Sabha victory shocked many, the AIP candidates are poised to deliver similarly surprising results in the Assembly elections.
Political analysts, however, are sceptical about AIP's growing confidence, suggesting that the emotional factors that played a role in Rashid's Lok Sabha success might not translate into similar support in the Assembly elections. They point out that many, who voted for Rashid now express disappointment, as his imprisonment has prevented him from representing his constituency in Parliament.
AIP’s spokesperson, meanwhile, claims that numerous former ministers, MLAs, and MLCs from various local parties are in talks to join AIP. However, political pundits caution that such defections are common during elections and do not necessarily indicate that AIP will pull off a major upset.
With the National Conference and Congress forming a 90-seat alliance, the true strength of AIP in these assembly elections will only become clear on October 4, the day of the results. Whether AIP's bold claims will materialize into electoral success remains to be seen.
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