Firdous Hassan
Srinagar, Oct 7: Ending suspense, the All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Association (AJKPA), an apex body of elected Panches and Sarpanches, has decided not to align with any political party and contest forthcoming Block Development Council (BDC) elections as independents.
“How is it viable to fight the second tier of Panchayat polls on party basis when the first tier was contested on non-party lines? The institution of Panchayati Raj is being politicized. There is a political motive behind the decision so that a particular political party reaps benefits,” said Shafiq Ahmad Mir, chairman AJKPA.
The BDC elections in the state will be held on October 24 and the date for filing of nomination papers will end on October 9.
A meeting of AJKPA was recently held to discuss government’s decision to hold BDC polls on party lines. It was unanimously decided not to align with any political party and contest elections as independents.
“The core members of our Association from Jammu division were against the idea of contesting the election on party lines. People voted us as independent candidates and we too shall contest and support apolitical candidate,” Mir said.
AJKPA chairman noted that his Association would inform its members from Kashmir region too to contest election without associating themselves with any political party.
“Our members are active at block level in each district. So far we couldn’t reach out to our members in Kashmir because of the communication gag, but we certainly will inform them to contest elections as independents,” he said.
An elected Sarpanch from north Kashmir’s Kupwara district said many elected Panchayat members in the district were of the opinion to contest for the chairperson of BDC as independent candidates.
“Associating with any political party means endangering our lives. We were elected as independent candidates for the development at grassroots level. We want only development. We do not want to carry forward the mission of any party,” he said while preferring anonymity.
As many as 26629 electorates -18316 male and 8313 elected women Panchayat members shall elect chairperson of BDCs in 316 blocks.
The multi-phase Panchayat elections were held on non-party basis in November-December last year. National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party had boycotted the polls in protest against Centre’s move to abrogate article 35 A.
However, the election to BDCs was not held so far. Post abrogation of special status and division of state into two union territories, the government has gone into an overdrive to complete the three tier process for Panchayats at the earliest.
