Inheritance of Power!: J&K leaders find LS polls ‘most suitable time’ to launch their children into politics

Continuing family legacies, children of contesting candidates jump into election campaigns

Jammu: Amidst strong criticism over the promotion of dynastic politics, the contesting candidates representing three key political parties in Jammu and Kashmir seem to have found the current parliamentary elections as the “most appropriate time” to launch their children into the political arena to ensure that leadership roles are seamlessly transferred from one generation to the next.
To begin with, Congress candidate for the Jammu-Reasi Parliamentary seat Raman Bhalla’s son, Jai Sid Bhalla has been vigorously campaigning for his father and has grabbed a lot of social media attention in recent times. Since the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections, the junior Bhalla, being considered as the successor of his father in Congress, has been raising serious questions over the credibility and accountability of both the contesting candidates of BJP from Jammu region—Dr Jitendra Singh and Jugal Kishore Sharma.
He has accused them (BJP candidates) of resorting to favouritism and nepotism in the recruitment processes by allegedly misusing their positions, as their family members have managed jobs in the government sector. He has also visited the length and breadth of the Jammu parliamentary seat while canvassing in favour of his father.
Iltija Mufti, the elder daughter of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, has also been launched “successfully” in J&K’s politics. Iltija has activated herself to campaign in favour of her mother, who is contesting from the prestigious Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat, and the other two candidates of the party contesting from Kashmir Valley.
“This parliament election is crucial for the people of J&K. It is our responsibility to make them understand the strength of their vote. This is not an election for electricity or roads but to safeguard & protect our identity. Only Mehbooba ji is the right choice for South Kashmir”—a statement on ‘X’ was an indication of her clear understanding and maturity about J&K’s politics.
Her interactions with women folk of Kashmir Valley and tribal community members during the election canvassing have also drawn the attention of political strategists who too believed that the PDP chief has opted for “an appropriate time” to launch her into politics of Jammu and Kashmir.
In the National Conference camp, the entry of young scions into the electoral fray is also not merely symbolic but strategic. With the party’s historical legacy deeply intertwined with the Abdullah family, the emergence of the next generation represents a bid to rejuvenate and sustain the party’s relevance in J&K’s ever-evolving political landscape.
On Thursday, the NC vice-president Omar Abdullah’s sons, Zahir and Zamir, announced that they would campaign for their father, who is contesting from north Kashmir’s Baramulla parliamentary constituency. Both sons have been seen attending party election campaign meetings with their father across the length and breadth of the Kashmir valley.
“We both will go and campaign for our father,” Zahir told reporters when asked if the duo would campaign for their father. The two accompanied their father to the deputy commissioner’s office here where party candidate Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi submitted nomination papers from the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency. They, however, claimed that they had no plans to
The critics, mainly BJP leaders, argue that the perpetuation of family legacies only undermines the “principles of democracy and meritocracy, stifling the emergence of new voices and ideas”. They contend that political positions should be earned based on merit and qualifications rather than inherited as a birthright.
“It is the dynastic politics that has been the sole reason for all problems J&K faced over the decades. The genuine voices who could have been potential leaders were stifled for vested interests. It is high time for the people of Jammu and Kashmir to decide whether they want the same set of arrangements in politics for the future of children or will come forward and voice their concern against the dynastic politics,” a senior professor of Jammu University said, requesting not to be named.

Updated On 4/26/2024 3:31:39 AM