From Tihar, Engineer Rashid fights a tough battle for Baramulla, Kashmir

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was tipped to easily win the Lok Sabha battle in Baramulla.

But, what was meant to be essentially a two-way race has become gripping following the sudden entry of the jailed Abdul Rashid Sheikh, who his admirers insist is the “Voice of Kashmir” and will make a splash.

The decision by Rashid, a straight-talking politician from north Kashmir’s Langate area, to contest in Baramulla, from Delhi's Tihar Jail, has sent alarm bells ringing in the People’s Conference (PC) camp and spiced up the electoral wrestle between its leader Sajad Lone and Omar Abdullah, the National Conference (NC) candidate.

Rashid, who started his political career in 2008 after resigning from his job as a construction engineer, is popularly known as 'Engineer Rashid'.

Key candidates

Chairperson of the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), Engineer Rashid, 57, filed his nomination papers for the Baramulla seat on April 29 as an independent candidate through his son Abrar Sheikh. His party is not registered with the Election Commission.

In the process, he becomes the third high-profile candidate in the north Kashmir parliamentary seat after Omar Abdullah of the NC and Sajad Lone, whose lesser-known People’s Conference is allied with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Lone and Rashid hail from Kashmir’s frontier district of Kupwara. Another candidate, Fayaz Mir of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), belongs to the same region. The hardcore support base of the three are mainly centred on Kupwara. Lone is strong in Handwara while Rashid is a household name in Langate, their respective hometowns.

The Baramulla constituency encompasses the Assembly segments of four districts – Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipora and Budgam. It has 18 Assembly segments: Karnah, Trehgam, Lolab, Kupwara, Handwara and Langate in Kupwara; Uri, Baramulla, Sopore, Rafiabad, Gulmarg, Wagoora-Kreeri and Pattan in Baramulla; Sonawari, Bandipora and Gurez (ST) in Bandipora; and Budgam and Beerwah in Budgam district.

Stunning show

In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Rashid stunned everyone by obtaining 1,02,168 votes (22.41 per cent). Although he secured the third spot, he overtook PDP leader Abdul Qayoom Wani by a considerable margin.

The veteran Mohammad Akbar Lone of the NC won the seat with 1,33,426 votes, comfortably defeating his nearest rival Raja Aijaz Ali of the People’s Conference.

Experts are divided over what Rashid’s decision to contest elections could mean for the Baramulla.

Some argue that the votes for Rashid will prove disadvantageous to the People’s Conference. Others say that his performance could cause anxiety among NC supporters as well.

“Engineer Rashid lives in the hearts of the people (of Kashmir). We are confident we will get many more votes now. We will be fighting this election with a limited budget. Our appeal to people is to contribute to ensure his success,” an AIP spokesperson told The Federal. He added that Rashid was “a serious contender… the voice of Kashmir”.

Tall order

Mufti Islah, a journalist who has covered elections for 25 long years, said any election campaign requires a proper structure, cadre, polling agents, motivators, campaign heads and influencers.

All these factors seem missing in the case of Rashid because he is not present on the ground. So, at best he could garner around 30,000 votes, political observers say. Islah predicts a “big win” for Omar Abdullah in Baramulla.

Riyaz Ahmad, a political analyst, says the NC's cadre remains its biggest strength. According to him, Rashid will be able to get votes from the Langate area that could have possibly landed in Lone’s kitty in his absence. Most agree that the NC remains a dominant political force in Baramulla.

Sympathy votes?

Some, however, argue that there could be sympathy votes in Rashid’s favour because of his prolonged prison term.

Rashid shot into prominence in 2008 immediately after bidding adieu to his job as a construction engineer. The engineer and controversies are fellow travellers. But despite many controversies, he remains a popular political figure for his outspoken nature and no-nonsense approach.

A former MLA from Langate, Rashid is said by his supporters to have always raised his voice for the people. “I hope people remember his struggle and sacrifice,” one of his supporters, a dentist, told The Federal.

On October 19, 2015, a group of rightwing supporters attacked Rashid with bottles of black ink while he was addressing the media in Delhi as an independent legislator from Jammu and Kashmir. The protesters were angry because Rashid had hosted a beef party at the MLA hostel in Kashmir on October 8. 2015.

Earlier too when Rashid hosted a beef party, as a mark of protest against the Modi government’s ban on beef, he was assaulted by BJP MLAs.

Suffering torture

In his public rallies and speeches, Rashid would narrate stories of alleged torture at the hands of government forces in his native place.

In 2015, Rashid hoisted the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir’s flag at Srinagar’s Sher-i-Kashmir Park and played a Kashmiri anthem. He wanted June 7 to be observed as “state flag day”. He is a vocal critic of BJP’s slogan “one constitution, one head of state, one flag”.

In 2005, he was briefly detained by Kashmir Police’s Special Operations Group for allegedly supporting militants. A chief judicial magistrate axed all charges against him.

NIA arrest

In the past, Rashid was considered close to slain Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone, father of Sajad Lone. He also briefly joined hands with Sajad Lone but they quickly parted ways.

After the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A in 2019, Rashid was summoned by the National Investigation Agency in an alleged money laundering case.

In August 2019, he was arrested and booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). In August this year, Rashid will complete five years in confinement.