ID :
38718
Sun, 01/04/2009 - 12:57
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/38718
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Omar to face challenges of urban-rural divide, terrorism in JK
Jammu, Jan 3 (PTI) National Conference Chief Omar Abdullah, who is set to don the mantle of chief minister on Monday, has a difficult road ahead with terrorism as well as growing regional and urban-rural divide in India's northern most state of Jammu and Kashmir certain to be high on his agenda.
Omar, the third generation Abdullah family member and
youngest chief minister of the border state, also faces high
expectations of people besides having to deal with a strong
opposition in People's Democratic Party (PDP) and Bhartiya
Janata Party (BJP).
The 38-year-old leader is perhaps the first chief
minister who will have to grapple with an alarming rise in
regional divide in the state since Independence. No other
government head including his father Farooq Abdullah and grand
father Sheikh Abdullah had faced such a dicey situation, say
political analysts.
"There was no regional divide between Jammu and Kashmir
regions as it is today as reflected in the poll results. Omar
is first CM of J and K to face this challenge," a member of
National Knowledge Commission (NKC) and former vice chancellor
of Jammu university, Prof Amitabh Mattoo told PTI.
Electoral results have shown a huge divide between the
regions due to polarisation in the wake of the two-month
Amarnath yatra land controversy. Divisive politics also
divided south and central Kashmir on city(NC) versus
village(PDP) lines, analysts said.
BJP, which had won just one seat in 2002 in Nagrota in
Jammu district was second in 5 constituencies, put up a
stunning show winning 11 seats and was second in 13 segments.
In 1996, BJP had won 8 seats in the Jammu region.
PDP held sway over rural voters and swept south Kashmir
bagging 12 out of 16 seats in Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and
Pulwama districts.
With its base in Srinagar, the state's summer capital, NC
swept 13 out of 15 seats in central Kashmir reflecting a
divide between urban and rural voters on party lines.
NC had only 8 seats in 2002 out of 15 while 4 were bagged
by PDP and 3 by independents in 2002 elections as urban voters
voted for NC in Srinagar city giving it 8 seats.
"Omar has first to integrate the state and end these
divides created by the politicians during Amarnath land row.
J and K is highly polarised today," head of department of
school of management science, Jammu university, Dr Keshiv
Sharma said.
Omar has to take along all the three regions, end
regional discrimination in Jammu and Ladakh and face a strong
opposition of BJP and PDP, Dr Sharma said.
"Omar has challenges not only on the political front in
terms of addressing separatists but also to ensure
people-to-people contact to make the state socially cohesive
and ensure economic upliftment and development on economic
front," Prof Mattoo said.
"We have high hopes of Omar. He is one among us and
thinks like generation-X. The buzzword for him should be end
era of unemployment. He should undertake massive multi-sector
infrastructure development in order to take Jammu and
Kashmir out of the web of militancy and uncertainty," Jammu
university MBA student, Vimal Choudary said. PTI AB
DEP
Omar, the third generation Abdullah family member and
youngest chief minister of the border state, also faces high
expectations of people besides having to deal with a strong
opposition in People's Democratic Party (PDP) and Bhartiya
Janata Party (BJP).
The 38-year-old leader is perhaps the first chief
minister who will have to grapple with an alarming rise in
regional divide in the state since Independence. No other
government head including his father Farooq Abdullah and grand
father Sheikh Abdullah had faced such a dicey situation, say
political analysts.
"There was no regional divide between Jammu and Kashmir
regions as it is today as reflected in the poll results. Omar
is first CM of J and K to face this challenge," a member of
National Knowledge Commission (NKC) and former vice chancellor
of Jammu university, Prof Amitabh Mattoo told PTI.
Electoral results have shown a huge divide between the
regions due to polarisation in the wake of the two-month
Amarnath yatra land controversy. Divisive politics also
divided south and central Kashmir on city(NC) versus
village(PDP) lines, analysts said.
BJP, which had won just one seat in 2002 in Nagrota in
Jammu district was second in 5 constituencies, put up a
stunning show winning 11 seats and was second in 13 segments.
In 1996, BJP had won 8 seats in the Jammu region.
PDP held sway over rural voters and swept south Kashmir
bagging 12 out of 16 seats in Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and
Pulwama districts.
With its base in Srinagar, the state's summer capital, NC
swept 13 out of 15 seats in central Kashmir reflecting a
divide between urban and rural voters on party lines.
NC had only 8 seats in 2002 out of 15 while 4 were bagged
by PDP and 3 by independents in 2002 elections as urban voters
voted for NC in Srinagar city giving it 8 seats.
"Omar has first to integrate the state and end these
divides created by the politicians during Amarnath land row.
J and K is highly polarised today," head of department of
school of management science, Jammu university, Dr Keshiv
Sharma said.
Omar has to take along all the three regions, end
regional discrimination in Jammu and Ladakh and face a strong
opposition of BJP and PDP, Dr Sharma said.
"Omar has challenges not only on the political front in
terms of addressing separatists but also to ensure
people-to-people contact to make the state socially cohesive
and ensure economic upliftment and development on economic
front," Prof Mattoo said.
"We have high hopes of Omar. He is one among us and
thinks like generation-X. The buzzword for him should be end
era of unemployment. He should undertake massive multi-sector
infrastructure development in order to take Jammu and
Kashmir out of the web of militancy and uncertainty," Jammu
university MBA student, Vimal Choudary said. PTI AB
DEP
