The high-voltage campaign on the prestigious Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat ended on Thursday amid the exchange of barbs by political parties.
On the last day of the campaigning political parties tried to reach out to the voters through public meetings and road shows.
While winding up the campaign on the Anantnag-Rajouri seat, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti lambasted the National Conference for bartering the wishes and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir to enjoy power.
"Since 1931 the National Conference has been bartering interests of the people of J&K for power", Mehbooba said and recounted various agreements signed by the successive National Conference leadership to remain in power.
Mehbooba Mufti made it a point to recall the infamous Assembly elections of 1987 and argued that brazen rigging in those elections resulted in bloodshed and destruction in Jammu and Kashmir.
The PDP president, however, claimed that her party has never compromised with the aspirations of the people of J&K to enjoy power. "We allied with BJP on our terms and conditions", she claimed.
Altaf Bukhari says NC, PDP are responsible for bloodshed in Kashmir
Meanwhile, Apni Party chief Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari attacked both the National Conference and PDP for bloodshed and destruction in Jammu.
Addressing a gathering after a road in different areas of Anantnag, Bukhari urged people not to vote for the dynastic parties in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said, "For the safety and well-being of your children, you must ensure that the Khandani Parties, like NC and PDP, never return to power in Jammu and Kashmir."
He added, "You must never forget that these parties and their leaders are responsible for the deaths, bloodshed, and destruction that occurred in Jammu and Kashmir over the years and decades. They misled people, provoked them to resort to violence, and, in the meantime, they created empires for themselves and established their family rule here. Thus, it is important for the safety and well-being of the people that these parties and their leaders are kept away from attaining power in the future."
Anantnag-Rajouri is a newly crafted Parliament segment of J&K
Anantnag-Rajouri is the newly-carved Lok Sabha seat in the South Kashmir-Pir Panjal region of Jammu province. The Lok Sabha segment is scheduled to go to polls on Saturday.
Although 20 candidates are in the fray, the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency is likely to witness a triangular fight between PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, NC candidate Mian Altaf, and Apni Party nominee Zafar Iqbal Manhas.
Mohammad Salim Parray of Democratic Progressive Azad Party of Ghulam Nabi Azad is also in the fray.
The polling in Anantnag-Rajouri was earlier scheduled for May 7 but was deferred by the Election Commission (EC) due to inclement weather in the region.
Authorities had received more than 2,200 applications from the contesting candidates and political parties, seeking permission for various electioneering activities.
While 1,920 applications for rallies, roadshows, and meetings were approved, 303 pleas were rejected on various grounds.
