Jammu & Kashmir is witnessing altogether a very interesting political Drama these days. Parties are giving away free make up kits in Rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir to lure Female Panchayat Members who also are voters for the upcoming Legislative Council Elections in the state.
This is first such case in India where Make-Up Kits are being gifted by Political Parties in order to win elections.
CM Omar Abdullah recently took a dig on such practices during an election rally. He added that PDP was trying to bribe women panches and sarpanches with make-up kits.
â€Do you think panchayat members will sell their conscience for a make-up kit,†the chief minister said at the campaign rallyâ€, Omar said at Ganderbal.
This was met with protest by several Panchayat Members. “Omar’s remark is an insult to women members who have fought the battle from within and outside to take part in the democratic process for the betterment of people,†said a protesting panchayat member Ayesha. She asked the CM to withdraw his comment.
Reacting to the protests, Omar posted on micro-blogging site Twitter: “When you can’t get a spontaneous protest why not encourage a protest to divert attention from the truth.â€
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti had taken strong exception to the chief minister’s allegations and volunteered to withdraw from the elections if the accusations were proven.
Rural Development Minister Ali Muhammad Sagar responded to Mehboobs Mufti’s remarks saying that the chief minister had been “told by someone about the PDP distributing make-up kits among women panches and sarpanchesâ€.
The ruling Congress-NC alliance is fighting the legislative council elections jointly, fielding two candidates each from the Valley and the Jammu region. The PDP has fielded four candidates.