In Baramulla, slogans and rallies raise the electoral pitch

For the fifth phase of electioneering in Kashmir, it was the size of rallies that mattered more than the content of speeches. All the three main candidates, National Conference’s (NC) Omar Abdullah, J&K Peoples Conference’s (PC) Sajad Lone and Awami Ittehad Party’s (AIP) Engineer Rashid, slogged it out with slogans and strength of supporters at venues across the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency.

All the three main contenders were seen competing for the size of the rallies and pitch of the slogans, which was rare in the past 30 years in the Kashmir Valley when separatists’ boycott politics and militant violence forced a subdued electioneering.  

Mr. Lone put up a show of strength in Baramulla town on May 16 with all his might, with hundreds waving blue flags with party symbol apple on it. He was joined by ally J&K Apni Party Altaf Bukhari in a show of support. The party described the public show as a “massive” and momentous” rally.