Voters say they want strong, decisive govt in J&K

Banihal, Jammu & Kashmir: A strong and decisive government seems to be the motivation behind the high voter turnout in the first phase of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections held in 15 constituencies today. The constituencies, spread in seven districts across the state, witnessed an aggregate poll percentage of more than 70 percent. Defying militant threat and separatist-sponsored poll boycott, voters came out in large numbers and had to wait for several hours in long queues outside the polling booths.[caption id=“attachment_1821591” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Girls show their inked fingers after casting votes at a polling station for the first phase of J & K Assembly elections at Jagti Township in Jammu on Tuesday. PTI [/caption] “We want a strong and decisive government in the state which can take decision. We have seen in the past that coalition governments were unable to take decisions,” said Afaq Ahmed, a voter in Ramban Assembly constituency. People in Banihal said they defied the separatist sponsored poll boycott call as they believe that only a democratically- elected government can address their issues. “Poll boycott will only add to the miseries of the people of the state as only a strong and decisive government can deliver,” said Gulzar Ahmed, a voter in Banihal constituency. Residents of the three districts of Chenab Valley say that they wanted to send a signal to the separatists leaders that the people are fed up of continuous violence and want to give peace a chance. “What have the people of the state got with the continuous and unending cycle of violence. Hence we came out to vote so as to send a signal to divisive forces that people in the state long for peace, for a strong and decisive government that has the willpower to act,” said Manoj Kumar, a resident of Ramban. Manoj said apart from development, infrastructure and education, the people of the state want a government that can take strong stand on the issue of policy making. “People usually vote on the issues of development, roads and other infrastructure, but they are not bothered about paralysis in policy making. Apart from infrastructure, our vote went to end the policy paralysis which our state has gone through for several years now,” Manoj said. In Ramban, 68 percent of the 86,161 registered voters, including 46,367 male and 39,794 female, sealed the fate of the candidates at 121 polling stations. In Banihal, 67 percent of the 78,107 voters including 42,289 male and 35,818 female sealed the fate of the candidates at 97 polling stations. PTI