Reconsider poll boycott: NC MLA to Geelani

SRINAGAR: Ruling National Conference (NC) legislator Ashraf Gania met separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani and asked him not to insist on his poll boycott call as it could help the BJP bag the Sopore seat, from where he is seeking reelection.
NC spokesman Junaid Mattoo said the MLA met Geelani and requested him to “desist from asking people to boycott the polls for the good of the state".
He said Ganai cited apprehensions regarding the BJP’s plan to abrogate the Article 370, “which would be disastrous for Kashmir in particular".
Ganai cited the migrant Kashmiri votes, which he believes “would go en masse to the BJP to the detriment of the Kashmiri interests" in his meeting with Geelani.
All separatists, including Geelani, have since gone slow on the boycott call.
Chief minister Omar Abdullah welcomed the move. “I welcome the apparent decision of Geelani and the separatist leadership to not enforce election boycott and leave it to the discretion of the people," he said at a election rally.
“We all need to realize election boycotts have given the people of J&K nothing but political disempowerment and weakened our regional character in politics."
He called the elections crucial and warned boycott would have “far-reaching, irreversible and detrimental consequences not only to Article 370 or our special status but also our political stature".
Sopore was among the seats, which BJP was said to be confident of winning relying on low voting percentage and migrant Kashmiri votes.
But the BJP decided has not fielded any candidate from Sopore. “We have decided not to field any candidates in certain constituencies as we may enter into post poll alliance with some parties," said state BJP vice president Ramesh Arora.
Deputy commissioner Farooq Ahmad Lone confirmed no BJP candidate has filed nomination papers from Sopore, which goes to the polls on December 7.