Gun-toting supporters of Kuka Parray had forced a hartal in the entire area and had erected black flags to deter the National Conference rally.
But, despite all this, nearly five thousand National Conference supporters turned out to make the rally a success.
Abdullah told the gathering that his party shall continue fighting for autonomy for all the three regions of the state. He also stated that the pro-government militants had done a good job by containing the pro-Pak militants.
He added that the surrendered militants would be rehabilitated with honour once his party takes over the reins, which, Abdullah said, was a foregone conclusion.
Later in the day, Abdullah held another public meeting at Sopore, the home town of the Jamiat-e-Islami leader Syed Ali Geelani. Abdullah did not have many listeners at Sopore, but people were seen loitering in the lanes and bylanes, eager to hear him, but visibly feeling threatened to come out openly to receive the National Conference leader.
In another election meeting held at Tangmarg, the Congress candidate Gulam Hassan Mir organised yet another impressive election rally, which was attended by about ten thousand people.
Mustafa Kamal, the younger brother of Farooq Abdullah is contesting the polls here on a National Conference ticket. He represented the constituency in the last state assembly.
The impressive Congress rally at Tangmorg indicates that the Congress candidate, Mir, is going to give the National Conference a tough time in this constituency.
