Dear Editor,
Announcement about the dates for the forthcoming Assembly elections has triggered the process of elections all over the Jammu and Kashmir state. Different political parties are seen burning their midnight oil to finalize their lists of candidates. Except the Bhartiya Janta Party, all other national as well as regional parties of the State have declared the names of their candidates for maximum constituencies and there is no row over the distribution of candidature what so ever. But the long queues of the fresh and raw aspirants including tainted and the turncoats, who want to take a test drive of Modi wave, and the favoritism of the leaders have made the selection process more difficult especially in the case of Basohli Constituency where both the contenders seem sailing in the same boat as regards their previous performances in the party are concerned. The majority of the conscious, nonbiased and awakened population both rural and urban are of the view that this time BJP should go for some educated, honest, dedicated and clean image faces for the Basohli Constituency. The people are of the view that there are many such faces that can come up to the expectation of the masses. It is suggested by the majority of the people that there are some families in Basohli which have been associated with the present BJP since the erstwhile Praja Parishad. According to them among the name of Khusi Ram Padha is worth mentioning here because he is the man against whome look out warrents were issued by the then NC Government during 1953 agitation and who, in order to escape the fury of the government, went underground for complete eight years. He was poisoned many times in the jail. He was a contemporary of Pt. Prem Nath Dogra and an awardee of silver medal by the Delhi Jan Sangh for his extraordinary services rendered to the erstwhile Praja Parishad. Even today the state governments are perpetuating the same hatred with the Padha family with the result the daughter in law of Khushi Ram Padha was shot in her bedroom by the State Police as a result of the political vengeance. The people of the constituency are of the view that either Shiv Kumar or Dr. Yog Raj both sons of Khushi Ram Padha be accorded the party candidature for their remarkable social services they have been rendering since long without any selfish motive. Among the public spokes persons the names of Kewal Singh, Isher Dass, Kamloo, Rajinder Sharma, Kishore jiGulai, Banarsi Dass, Parveen, Bindoo, Goldi, Ravinder, Gias Din, Riaz Din, Shub Kumar, Ravinder Kumar, Raji and majority of you thare worth mentioning.
Shiv Kumar Padha
Basohli
