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NEW DELHI: Two good looking candidates from the Kashmir Valley who in their own way embraced the Bharatiya Janata party. One Sajjad Lone known in Delhi as a separatist despite having contested, and lost, several elections and the other Dr Hina Bhat, a new face for Delhi television channels to get hooked on through the campaign.
Lone won from Handwara. Bhat lost from Amirakadal.
Lone was apologetic about his ‘understanding’ with the BJP but became more blase about this after a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He campaigned hard and tough in Handwara, spending all his time with the people, and assuring them that regardless of the results he would continue to work for them. He was supportive of the BJP in the campaign but not unduly so, or at least not to a point where he sent out disturbing signals to the voters who were determined not to allow the BJP to get a foothold in the Valley.
Bhat, unlike Lone, joined the BJP. And at a time when the Valley was abuzz with rumours that the BJP in abrogating Article 370 would ensure a change in the demographic composition of the state, appeared on stage bowing, hands folded, before PM Modi. This was perhaps her death knell as the photograph went viral on the social media. And in a state where the youth have little else to do but share information on Facebook and Twitter she was damned, more effectively perhaps than anything she could have said. The vote, if it ever was hers, shifted and moved to PDP’s Altaf Bukhari.
Lone is finally in the Assembly and can plough an independent path. Unless of course he wants to be a Minister and takes advantage of a possible BJP-PDP understanding to move up in the hierarchy of politics. His support, however, for the BJP is now redundant as it has fallen far short of its Mission 44+ and is in no position to form the government. So if he chooses he can use the Assembly to fulfil the many promises he has made to the voters of Handwara who voted him over and above the other political parties in the fray. By staying out of the BJP, and by not supporting it openly, Lone was able to get the dividends from a well fought election.
Bhat had appeared early morning on television channels, smiling and almost sure that her initial lead from Amirakadal constituency would become a victory. She is a dentist in the Valley and now president of the BJP women wing. When the Article 370 controversy was raging in the state she said that if this was abrogated “ I will be the first to pick up a gun.” But this statement did not work to assuage the concerns of her constituency voters and led to raised eyebrows within the BJP. She was reportedly told to temper her statements which she did. But not her actions, and a FiR was filed against her for slapping a polling officer during the voting.
Bhat’s career is now limited, and it remains to be seen what course she pursues now. Lone’s long stalled political career has taken off finally. He is an articulate politician, with views and a style that have always made him acceptable in Delhi, even when he was part of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference. His relations with all separatist leaders are “good” with the sole exception of Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
