The head of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Ghulam Nabi Azad, had initially announced his decision to contest the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat. However, he has since retracted his steps, stating that he will not compete in the parliamentary election.
Following Azad's withdrawal, speculations abound about the impact of this decision. Once a towering figure in the Congress, a leader in the Rajya Sabha, and former state CM, why did he withdraw before nominations? And who benefits from his withdrawal?
Strong NC and PDP Candidates
Behind Azad's decision to both declare his candidacy and then retract it are speculated to be various factors. One factor is the presence of strong candidates from the National Conference (NC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP). PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti herself is contending for this seat, while the NC has given its ticket to six-time legislator and former minister Mian Altaf Ahmad.
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PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti has been elected MP from this seat twice. Mian Altaf represents the Gujjar community, known as a popular leader among the Gujjar, Bakarwal, and Pahari communities. With deep political roots, both major Kashmir Valley parties have fielded renowned leaders with a rich political legacy.
Anantnag's Voting Trend and Public Sentiment
Discussing the voting trends in Anantnag Lok Sabha seat reveals a pattern of alternating victories between the NC and PDP since 1999. Ghulam Nabi Azad, now departed from the Congress to form his party, was unable to break Congress's losing streak in past elections.
There is talk that public sentiment and the NC's campaigning strategy could be reasons for Azad's retraction. NC leaders had been strongly accusing former CM Azad of aiding BJP. Omar Abdullah had recently claimed that Azad aimed to help BJP by splitting the secular vote. With PDP and NC already at odds, it is speculated that Azad's participation might have divided Muslim votes to BJP's advantage.
Azad's Focus on Assembly Elections
After founding his party, Azad's focus seems to be solely on Kashmir's politics. He knows that winning all parliamentary seats won't make him a gamechanger or kingmaker in Delhi. With NC and PDP leaders portraying him as a BJP ally, he may have felt that this image could harm his assembly election prospects.
Who Gains from Azad's Step Back?
Now with Azad backing out, the central question is who benefits? If DPAP has no candidate, its supporters will inevitably support someone. Given Azad's post-Congress stance, his backing for an NC candidate seems unlikely. DPAP supporters might covertly support Mehbooba Mufti.
Azad's withdrawal sets the stage for a direct contest between NC and PDP in Anantnag. With the battle between two influential leaders, will the trend continue or break? The results of the upcoming elections on June 4 will tell.
