M Aamir Khan
Srinagar: Singer Yasir Iqbal, 28, from Wangath in Ganderbal district is in great demand these days. He has already composed nine ‘election songs’ for candidates contesting the ongoing District Development Council (DDC) polls and is presently busy composing three more.
Like Yasir, several other singers and musicians have been hired by the DDC candidates to compose songs that are later played during campaigning or on social media to woo voters.
“Candidates usually call me and then send me their bio-data. So far, I have composed songs for nine candidates. I have to compose three more. I write the lyrics myself. I also sing across J&K…in Anantnag, Kupwara, Poonch, Rajouri, etc. I am a graduate but singing is my profession,” Yasir told The Kashmir Monitor.
He said he sang in Pahari, Gojri, Kashmiri and Urdu languages and that his election songs had become very popular on social media as well.
“Waada nibhayaingay….Dr. Ghulam Mustafa ko saaray hum milkay jitayangay,” says the election song of Yasir composed for Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Alliance (PAGD) candidate Dr. G M Khan – DDC candidate from Hajin B block.
Elsewhere, Kashmiri folk singers too have been hired to garner votes. Some candidates have used catchy phrases and are attracting both encouraging and harsh comments from the netizens.
Javed Baigh, the DDC candidate from Beerwah in Central Kashmir, whose party symbol is cup and plate, too has been asking for votes in a novel way. Baigh’s election song tells voters that he has come out to serve them after completing his MBA.
“MBA kerthiy khidmat karni draav, cup palatas voteiy traav….” reads the lyrics of Baigh’s election song.
Baigh is contesting the DDC elections on the Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) ticket.
“Basically I am a writer….this (song) is my ideology. I gave them the idea and points and they composed it,” Baigh told The Kashmir Monitor.
Candidates of other political parties too have come up with catchy lyrics and the songs can be heard on different social media platforms.
“Congress-as vote tcheiy traav….vote traav vote traav….Amaan seabas vote traav….” says the election song of Congress candidate M Aman Mantoo from Kund block in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
“Rashid seaba vote kas…. cricket batas beiyih kas…..beinih baaya vote kas….cricket batas beiyih kas,” says the election song of Apni Party DDC candidate Umar Shakeel from Safapora in Ganderbal district.
