Jammu and Kashmir Elections: Can Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh repeat brother Engineer Rashid’s magic in Langate?

Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer Rashid, a jailed candidate from Baramulla constituency, defeated Omar Abdullah by a huge margin. (File Photo: PTI)

Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh, younger brother of jailed Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid, is all set to make his political debut from the Langate assembly constituency of Kupwara in the coming Jammu and Kashmir elections.

Sheikh’s name featured in the list of nine candidates released by the Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) founded and led by Engineer Rashid, the jailed Lok Sabha MP from Baramulla. Sheikh will be making his political debut from the same seat that his brother represented twice – in 2008 and in 2014.

Sheikh will face off against Irfan Panditpuri of the People’s Conference and Syed Ghulam Nabi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The NC-Congress combine has fielded Ishfaq Ahmad from the seat while Dr Kaleemullah, son of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ghulam Qadir Lone, is in fray as an Independent. Lone is a member of the eight-member leadership panel of the Jamaat.

Langate was once seen as the stronghold of the National Conference which retained it for four consecutive terms between 1977 and 1996. In the 1999 bypolls, PDP candidate MS Panditpuri, who had switched from the NC, won it while NC’s Sharif-ud-din Shariq snapped it in 2002.

Who is Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh?

Sheikh, who has already begun campaigning in the constituency, had resigned from government service soon after his brother’s victory in the Lok Sabha elections. He served as a government teacher since 2003.

His resignation was accepted only last week, paving the way for his entry into active electoral politics. Sheikh’s entry marks the second from the family to enter the electoral fray. His elder son Abrar Rashid campaigned for him in the Lok Sabha polls but is yet to formally join politics

Stepping into his brother’s shoes

With Sheikh’s entry, the AIP hopes to capitalise on the same sympathy and anger that resulted in Rashid’s victory against veterans like former CM Omar Abdullah and Sajjad Lone in the Lok Sabha elections this year.

The AIP’s campaign of ‘Jail Ka Badla Vote Se’, led by Rahid’s son Abrar, resonated with voters in Baramullah, a constituency seen as a stronghold of the Abdullahs. The campaign was such a hit that the constituency broke a record of 40 years as more than 54 percent voters stepped out to vote.

Sheikh’s debut in electoral politics also mirrors that of his brother Rashid who also quit his government job as an engineer and took the political plunge as an Independent candidate.

Rashid has been in jail for five years on charges of terror funding under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Meanwhile, AIP’s ticket to Rashid has also triggered a controversy with allegations that the party was promoting dynasty politics. However, Khurshid rejected the allegations and said he is ready for any role that the party sees fit for him.

“I gave away my job of 15 years, it is not dynastic politics but an example of sacrifice. I am ready for anything the party assigns,” he said.