J-K polls: 14 Kashmiri Pandits enter fray, return of displaced their aim

So far, 14 Kashmiri Pandits have filed nominations to contest from the valley for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, aiming to ensure the return and rehabilitation of their fellow community members, whose number run up to 3 lakh.

Srinagar's Habba Kadal assembly constituency has virtually turned into an electoral battlefield for the displaced Kashmiri Pandits.

A record six KPs out of the 14 have filed their nomination from the assembly segment, which goes to polls, along with 26 other constituencies in the second phase of elections, on September 25.

"As many as six candidates from the KP community have filed their nomination papers in Habba Kadal. Of them, five have filed under recognised political parties, while two have filed as Independents. A total of 14 candidates have filed their nominations," an election department official told PTI.

Ashok Kumar Bhat has filed his papers as the BJP candidate, Sanjay Saraf as the Lok Jan Shakti Party candidate, and Santosh Labroo will be contesting election as an All Alliance Democratic Party candidate.

Ashok Raina, Panaji Dembi, and Ashok Sahaib will fight as Independents.

Saraf, who has contested elections from the seat twice in the past, said his aim is to bridge the gap between communities and ensure the return of the community spread across the country, back to the valley.

"If I am elected as an MLA, I will work to ensure the return of KPs to the valley with respect, dignity, and security. This includes carving out places for them here. We should be ambassadors of peace," Saraf, contesting from his home constituency of Anantnag, told PTI.

The six KPs in fray are banking on the support of the 25,000-strong migrant vote bank in Habba Kadal, traditionally, a National Conference stronghold.

Raman Mattoo, a KP, won the election in 2002 as an Independent candidate and became a minister in the Mufti Sayeed government.

In 2014, four KPs candidates contested from the seat, while in 2008, the number was a record 12. In the 2002 elections, out of 11 total, nine were KPs.

BJP's Vir Saraf, Apni Party's M K Yogi, and Dileep Pandita, an Independent, will seek election from Shangus-Anantnag segment. In all, 13 candidates are in fray from the segment.

Yogi, a former president of the powerful Martand temple committee and a former NC leader, alleged that no party has done anything for the Kashmiri Pandits.

"I will ensure that KPs are brought back through a return and rehabilitation policy. BJP did marketing and sold their pain but did nothing in the past 15 years," he told PTI.

Other KPs in fray are -- Rakesh Handoo from the Zadibal constituency in Srinagar, Dr Sanjay Parva from Beerwah constituency in Budgam, and Ramesh Wagnoo, an Independent, from Pampore.

Rosy Raina and Arun Raina are contesting as Republic Party of India and NCP candidates from Rajpora in Pulwama district.

Ashok Kumar Kachroo, the sole KP from Jammu, is contesting the election from Bhaderwah constituency as an All Alliance Democratic Party candidate.

Rosy Raina came to Kashmir five years ago and started working in South Kashmir after being elected as a Sarpanch.

"I have worked hard for the past five years as a Sarpanch. Because of my work, the youths are on my side. I am sure that I will win the election," she said.

"I want to create an environment where Kashmiri Pandits can move freely to any place without any fear," she said.

After unsuccessfully contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Baramulla and Anantnag, Arun Raina and Dileep Pandita are now contesting the Assembly polls from Rajpora in Pulwama district and Shangus-Anantnag.

Vikram Koul, head of KP volunteers, told PTI, "We welcome the contest by community members. Political parties have even fielded them. We wish to see them in the Assembly."

He, however, added that the community has always had high hopes from political parties, but they did little for the community.

"For the past 30 years, the community lives as refugees in its own land. The return and rehabilitation policy was framed, but no government implemented it on the ground to take back over 3 lakh KPs to the valley and rehabilitate them," he said.