Sons and a daughter rise on J&K’s political horizon

Srinagar: Former chief minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti launched her campaign for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency where she is pitted against former minister and senior National Conference leader Mian Altaf Ahmad among many other candidates a couple of weeks ago.

While she holds roadshows and addresses rallies, making an aggressive bid for her party, in Anantnag and elsewhere her effort is being supplemented by her daughter Iltija Mufti who has been in-charge of her social media since 2019. Ms. Iltija’s ‘X’ profile mentions her as a ‘Kashmiri’ and ‘Media Advisor’ to her mother, the assignment she took over last summer to formally take a plunge in active politics.

Apart from being seen with her mother during her election campaign trails, she visits places and homes in Anantnag and also in Srinagar wherefrom PDP has fielded its youth leader Waheed Ur Rehman Para to seek votes for the PDP. At the same time, she continues to be active on social media platforms to make her mother’s political voice more popular and reach out to as many netizens particularly the young as possible with her own opinions.

36-year-old Iltija while addressing an election rally in a remote village of Anantnag on Wednesday, she assured “our tribal communities” that Mehbooba Mufti “will fight for their rights and identity”. Worth to mention here, the PDP leader’s main rival in the constituency Mian Altaf is a popular Gujjar leader, the ethnic background which may eventually help him to turn tables on his rivals, at least, in more than half a dozen predominantly-Gujjar Assembly segments of the constituency.

Nevertheless, this has not discouraged Ms Iltija from visiting Gujjar families in the constituency to seek their support for her mother. She appears to be equally conscious of the importance of the vote of the Kashmiri-speaking population of Anantnag.

She posted several pictures showing her mingling with the female voters of Anantnag and Srinagar. She said, “No matter which part of Kashmir I visit I am always touched by the kindness and affection of women”. She added, “Today while addressing people at Larnoo, Kokernag, I was pleasantly surprised to see a grandmother leaning from her window to listen to me. Perhaps it’s time politics in Kashmir gives women greater representation and participation”.

However, Ms. Mufti who became fiercely “protective on social media after the Jammu and Kashmir was stripped of its special status and split up into two Union territories in August 2019 told this correspondent recently that though she is busy with writing the biography of her mother which would shed light on her political journey and its significance in Kashmiri politics, she is planning to go abroad for pursuing studies further.

Meanwhile, National Conference vice president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah’s offspring – Zahir and Zamir- too are nowadays being seen actively involved in party meetings and other engagements. In Ramadan, the great grandsons of legendary Kashmiri leader Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah had joined their father in  serving the Kashmiri cuisine Wazwan to the guests including media persons at an Iftar party in Srinagar.

On Thursday, the brother-duo announced that they would be campaigning for their father Mr. Abdullah who is seeking election to Lok Sabha from Baramulla constituency. After the NC candidate for the Srinagar seat Aga Syed Ruhullah submitted nomination papers here, Zahir who was among those accompanying him said, “In Sha Allah (God willing), we both will go and campaign.” He was responding to a query by a reporter if the brothers will campaign for their father.

However, his brother Zamir said while he has no intention of joining politics, yet he wants to remain connected with the people. “I have no plans yet. I am a lawyer. We have a connection with the people and that will stay forever,” he said.

A Kashmir watcher said that it is to be seen it is to be seen whether the political prowess  Ms. Iltija or Zamir Zahir may have inherited will help their respective parties to reach out to the young Kashmiris who have grown up under the shadow of gun and are trying to adjust to a new situation. End it