Sajad Lone Forms Pre-Poll Alliances to Defeat Omar Abdullah in Baramulla Lok Sabha Seat

Sajad Lone, the president of the Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference (JKPC), has formed pre-poll alliances to defeat the National Conference (NC) candidate Omar Abdullah in the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat in the upcoming 2024 general election in Jammu and Kashmir, India. Lone, who is contesting the Baramulla constituency, recently met with former Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Baig and his wife Safina Baig, the District Development Council (DDC) Chairperson of Baramulla, to seek their electoral support.

The Apni Party, headed by Altaf Bukhari, has also extended support to Lone for the Baramulla seat. The alliance between Lone and Bukhari, known as 'king's parties' due to their proximity to the central government, is seen as part of the BJP's efforts to fracture the Kashmiri electorate and weaken traditional parties like the NC and PDP. However, Bukhari has denied any alliance with the BJP, claiming that the goal of the alliance is to protect jobs and land for locals and restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

Why this matters: The pre-poll alliances formed by Sajad Lone in the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat highlight the shifting political dynamics in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the 2024 general election. The outcome of this high-stakes contest could have significant implications for the future of the region and its relationship with the central government.

The Baramulla Lok Sabha seat will go to polls on May 20, with the notification for the constituency set to be issued on April 26 and nominations to be filed from April 26 to May 3. Lone is up against Omar Abdullah of the NC and Fayaz Mir of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Omar Abdullah has accused the BJP of trying to create religious tensions in the region through controversial remarks by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Lone has pledged to hold, accountable, every, single the NC leaders accountable for their alleged involvement in innocent killings, torture, incarceration, and the unjust imposition of the Public Safety Act (PSA) on Kashmiri people since 1987. He claims there is a strong ideological alignment between the NC and the BJP, citing instances when Omar Abdullah, as an NDA minister, "shamelessly defended the killings of Muslims". Addressing a massive workers' convention in Trehgam, Lone proclaimed that north Kashmir has resolved not to allow 'tourists' to determine the destiny of their future or that of their children any longer.

Key Takeaways

• Sajad Lone forms pre-poll alliances to defeat Omar Abdullah in Baramulla Lok Sabha seat.
• Apni Party led by Altaf Bukhari extends support to Lone, seen as BJP's effort to fracture Kashmiri electorate.
• Lone pledges to hold NC leaders accountable for alleged atrocities on Kashmiris since 1987.
• Lone claims ideological alignment between NC and BJP, citing Omar Abdullah's past defense of Muslim killings.
• Baramulla Lok Sabha seat to go to polls on May 20, with high stakes for Jammu and Kashmir's future.