Srinagar- As Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency went to polls on Monday, many voters demonstrated a pronounced preference for individual candidates rather than traditional party affiliations.
“It’s not just about party politics anymore,” Naveed Ahmad Wani, 31, from Pulwama’s Awantipora, said.
“Aga Ruhulla took a stand for what he believed was right, sometimes he even went against his party,” Wani said, adding, “He is articulate and moderate in his views.”
Another voter from Srinagar’s Lal chowk said that Ruhulla’s campaign has been a pivotal factor in his decision to vote. “He reached out to people in the most humble way, he feels like our own.”
Mohammad Amir Qureshi, also echoed a similar sentiment, underscoring his allegiance to a candidate rather than a political party. “I exercised my electoral right for the second time in favor of the People’s Democratic Party. My allegiance goes beyond party lines, it is tied to the visionary ideologies of Wahid Para,” Qureshi tweeted on the social media app X.
Another voter speaking on anonymity said that our leader has witnessed all that an ordinary Kashmiri goes through in his life. “I hope that he resolves all our problems and talks about the problems of Kashmir in the Indian Parliament. We expect him to talk about statehood and the return of power projects in the Lok Sabha,” he said.
“If we look at past tenure of Mehbooba Mufti, there was no way I would have voted for PDP. But I put my faith in Waheed Parra,” Noureena, a 30-year-old voter from Nigeen, said.
“I believe he has the potential to address the concerns of youth effectively.”
Some voters expressed resentment with regional political parties and said that they are driven by their own agendas rather than the needs and aspirations of the people they claim to represent. However, placing their hopes on the candidates fielded stemmed from a belief that these candidates offer a more genuine connection to the community.
“We have lost all hopes from political parties, we placed our bet on the candidates,” Farooq Ahmad Bhat from Ganderbal said.
According to few, these candidates gaining trust and support in this electoral process is also because of their youth, education, and eloquence in addressing significant issues during campaigns.
“The one I voted for is a great orator,” a voter said, without revealing the one he voted for. “In those big parliamentary debates, you need someone who can speak up and make sure our concerns are heard loud and clear.”
Notably, the polling percentage for Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency stood at 38 percent, marking the second-highest turnout since 1989. Chief Electoral Officer, Jammu and Kashmir P.K Pole said that not even a single polling booth witnessed zero percent polling in Srinagar PC.
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