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Srinagar: This year's assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir was a verdict for democracy; however, among the Kashmiri Pandits, there is a feeling that they are left out.
Despite their 47 candidates in the poll fray, almost thrice the number in 2002, none could make it to the assembly this time.
Kashmir pandit candidate Sanjay Kachroo says, "Fighting elections was for representation. I am disappointed that Kashmiri pandits have not voted."
Habbakadal assembly segment was won by a Kashmiri Pandit candidate in the last election.
However, this time, National Conference (NC) candidate Shamina Firdaous made it to the winning post.
The constituency saw 12 pandit candidates in the poll fray and out of 72,000 registered migrant voters, barely 15,000 voted.
Relief commissioner, Jammu and Kashmir Vinod Kaul feels that the voters are scattered in Jammu.
Many blame the dismal response to the tedious voting process, where every migrant voters had to submit a verification form to the election commission.
Kashmiri pandit Prakishit Kaul said, “A person who was a voter in 2002 could not cast his vote in 2008 just because he did not have a migrant form.
The Kashmir pandits for the first time had floated a political party and were hoping for a poll boycott to up their winning chances, but since elections have been full of surprises, it is perhaps something which did not work in their favour.
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