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Basharat Peer in Anantnag
While there is a strong anti-incumbency wave in many parts of the state, the National Conference is confident of victory in the heart of south Kashmir, Anantnag.
Here, the electoral battle is between NC nominee Mehboob Beg and Awami League's Liaquat Ali.
Beg was a minister in the government formed by Farooq Abdullah's brother-in-law G M Shah in 1984, after the central government engineered a defection in the NC.
He also happens to be the son of Mirza Afzal Beg, the NC negotiator in the Beg-Parthasarathy accord of 1975, which led to Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah's release from jail after 22 years.
The NC had to change its sitting legislator, Safdar Beg, against whom complaints of corruption and non-performance were rampant, and field Beg, who enjoys a lot of goodwill here.
"When he was a minister, he did a lot for us. Nobody here has got people so many jobs as he did. Also, his father's contribution to Anantnag cannot be forgotten," says Manzoor Ahmad, a local businessman.
At Dialgam village, once a hub of militant activity, Rashid Mir, a paddy farmer, says, "The sitting NC MLA did not do anything for us. He just filled his pockets. I will still vote for [the] NC because Beg sahib is a far better candidate... he performed when he was given the chance."
Another factor helping the NC is that Ali is a militant-turned-counterinsurgent, who is now trying to establish himself as a politician.
In 1995, the first renegade militant, Kuka Parrey, formed the Awami League and contested elections.
The renegade militants, known as Ikhwanis, are notorious for human rights violations.
Ali, who was the south Kashmir leader of the Ikhwanis, is the Awami League's convener.
"I am confident that we will bag the seat here," says Ali. Ask him about the affect that the reputation of the Ikhwanis will have, he says, "The anti-incumbency factor is stronger."
But the common man has not forgotten the atrocities committed by the Ikhwanis.
"Liaquat may seem to be a decent guy, but how can you vote for him. Was he not the leader of the Ikhwanis, who killed hundreds here," says Arshad Majid, a youth.
However, Ali is banking on the support that he is getting from the Congress and the People's Democratic Party, who have decided not to field a candidate from this constituency.
"They are supporting me. I have an informal understanding with the Congress and the PDP people. They met me and assured their support," Ali says.
Strange bedfellows does politics make, given that PDP chief Mufti Mohammed has earned the sympathy of the people by speaking out against rights violations.
"We could not find a suitable candidate for the Anantnag seat," Sayeed says in defence.
"They [the Congress and PDP] would have never left the Anantnag seat uncontested. But after my candidature was decided, Mufti knew that they stood no chance here. Now both the PDP and he Congress are supporting a renegade-turned-politician," Beg says.
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