‘The last bastion falls’: Mujahid Manzil loss overshadows NC’s victory

Srinagar: Call it a quirk of fate, National Conference (NC) lost municipal seat in its oldest bastion of Islamyarbal-Zainakadal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday.

 Rehana Parvez of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defeated NC’s Nuzhat Ara by 153 votes. Rehana, who hails from Batamaloo got 226 votes, while the NC candidate got just 73 votes.

National Conference workers have slipped into a shock as for the first time they have lost from the constituency which houses headquarter of the grand old party.

Islamyarbal houses Mujahid Manzil, a historic building popularly known as the monument of resistance wherefrom the NC founder Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah began his political career.

The area falls in the Eidgah assembly constituency of old Srinagar. Former speaker Mubarak Gul represented this seat in the last assembly.

“Manzil Manzil Ward NO 46 is known for its support to National Conference. National Conference was born here. Despite having a huge vote bank, people didn’t come out to vote. Leaders do not care about his area,” a group of NC workers told The Kashmir Monitor.

They said the party’s constituency representative, whose son has been managing the party’s affairs, has not been able to deliver effectively.

“The victory by PDP candidate is like demolishing the fort of National Conference. PDP candidate is from Qamarwari and unknown to people. Our former MLA Mubarak Gul has failed miserably. All the workers are upset. We don’t want the party to suffer,” they said.