J&K Assembly polls: Battle for Kulgam not ideological anymore

Madergam, Kulgam: Kulgam assembly constituency in south Kashmir, which is going for polls in the first phase on September 18, is emerging as the battleground of the forces from the Right and the Left of the political spectrum of the Union Territory.

This seat, a local said, has travelled far from an "era of extremes" of 2016 with violent street battles to a "democratic struggle" of verbal exchanges among the political opponents.

Even though 10 contestants are in the fray, the main contest seems to be between Muhammad Yusuf Tarigami of CPIM, Nazir Ahmad Laway of People's Conference, who was earlier with People's Democratic Party, and Sayyar Reshi, an independent candidate, who has the backing of a select panel of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami.


Kulgam is a bastion of ideologies. It has elected a communist leader in the last four assembly elections and saw the emergence of several militant networks and massive pro-freedom protests in 2016. In this election, locals in Kulgam are witnessing frequent public meetings of politicians, all of whom are promising a peaceful future with dignity and defending the "average (citizen) from the elite".

Increasingly, it seems all sides in these elections have a common point of view, no longer defined by ideology.

"If we stay at home, anti-people elements will once again come to power. They are against truth and justice and are just securing their seat through a network of hooligans for decades now," Reshi told ET. Reshi, 42, has worked as a contractual lecturer for over 12 years now and has remained assistant director of Falah-e-Aam trust - a network of schools associated with JeI till the organisation was banned. He promises a positive change from the past and an end to the era of fear. "We will build a cancer hospital come what may. Besides, we will work for women empowerment and create gender sensitive infrastructure for them," he said. Reshi is popular among the youth and is banking on the support of hundreds of students he has taught over the years. A significant section of JeI cadre, who may come out to vote, will support him.

"When it is raining, we need a shelter. This election is a chance to look for a better shelter," said Gulzar Ahmad Bhat, 65, who has been active in politics for 30 years now.

Reshi is contesting against political stalwart Tarigami, who has won all four assembly elections and has an established network of people who understand the electoral matrix.

"I am known to everyone here in Kulgam and my doors have remained open for people even when I was not a legislative member," Tarigami said while addressing a gathering in Madergam. In an oblique reference to the JeI-backed candidate Reshi, Tarigami said, "Those who till yesterday used to shout Hum Kya Chahate (Azadi, a slogan raised in pro-freedom processions earlier) are now on this side. People of Kulgam are well aware of how to remove weeds from a paddy field." In the National Conference-Congress alliance, they have kept this seat reserved for Tarigami, thus he is their candidate from here and a favourite as well.

However, Tarigami also faces Nazir Laway, who contested against him since 2008 and lost in 2014 with just 334 votes, when he was the PDP nominee. Laway was later PDP's nominated Rajya Sabha member, but after 2019, he left PDP and joined PC led by Sajad Lone.

"Tarigami is ruling through a network of hooligans, contractors and a few bureaucrats. He exploits the system to the best and has nothing to do with the common people," Laway told ET. "I have spent crores on the development of Kulgam from the MP fund and Tarigami knows how to take credit for everything," he said.

Kulgam has 1,17,322 voters, including 58,477 male and 58,845 female voters, who can exercise the right to vote in 134 polling stations.