Is Lone now Alone?

It was thumping victory for the UPA in the 15th Lok Sabha elections by a majority of 258 seats. Here in Kashmir ‘National Conference’ an ally of UPA also swept all the three Lok Sabha seats, while as Sajjad Lone’s ‘People’s Conference’ which returned to polls after a big gap of 22 years, can’t garner much support in north Kashmir’s battle of ballot. We know he got nearly 65,403 votes in the Baramulla constituency while his rivals NC and PDP got 203,022 and 138,208 respectively. Now will the Sajjad lone’s defeat come out to be disastrous for his political career and the Kashmir dispute? He paid the political price for contesting the elections, by parting his ways from separatist camp. It was his decision to contest and bring the Kashmir issue on the table (also his election symbol) however people of Kashmir were seen reluctant to it and liked plough in their fields instead of Kashmir issue on the table. He has no option left now, only to strengthen his party in the north Kashmir and wait for the next assembly elections of the state. On the 13th may when he was going to be judged by the people, he said, “if I lose it doesn’t matter but the number of votes which I get will show my representative character.” This is his representation, only 65,000 people want him to bring the Kashmir issue on the table or only 65,000 people of this part of state want Kashmir issue to be resolved. We have to see the writing on wall; this is how people are going to support separatist leaders when they will be in poll fray under Indian constitution? But here for his defeat we have to give some credit to the poll boycott campaign launched by the separatist leaders. Now will Sajjad Lone return to the separatists like many other leaders in past who joined mainstream politics fought elections and then after 1987 assembly elections turned towards the pro-freedom parties? I don’t think he will get any space in the separatist parties now; he has to represent himself on his own. He thought only participating in the elections under the Indian constitution can resolve the 62 year old Kashmir issue, he got the answer for that from the people of Kashmir, and he may now has to change his ideology also as he has changed his strategy earlier. I was pondering from the last some months if Sajjad Lone wins what issue will he raise and how can he alone defend the freedom struggle of Kashmir against the other 542 parliament members, but people hadn’t see off him to the parliament. We know in Kashmir he is the only one who can fight on his own whether as a separatist or a mainstream politician and also he is leading one of the oldest political parties of Kashmir. It had been seen in the last year land row issue how he defended Kashmir’s struggle, but even that cant bore him fruits of power. It is quite possible he may now regret what he did but he will not look at past, he is going to stand firm on his decision no matter who is with him or against. But we have to see, is Lone now Alone?