It is been argued since long that politics and business are hand in glove, but in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, they are equally an intriguing pair. Bilal Handoo details out the camaraderie between politics and business by examining some switchovers    

RANA
Davendra Singh Rana

At the age of 65 when Bakshi Ghulam Mohammed died (on July 15, 1972), his progeny and siblings didn’t take his 41 years of political legacy forward. They had different motives and aims – apparently to establish and expand their business across the state. His six brothers or BBC (Bakshi Brother Corporation) reportedly amassed big bucks. And today, Bakshis are biggies in business – owning Hotel Shangrila, Hotel Pamposh, Fair deal shopping complex, Fair deal motors and many more.

The above figment of history might not justify the switchovers from politics to business or the other way round – but many argue: business and politics are akin to proverbial flesh and bones in a society. Many argue, both politicians and businessmen need each other to complete their existence. While businessman apparently needs politician for his smooth run of trade, the politician in turn needs businessman to run his political show.

So, did the similar reasons motivate a Jammu based automobile trader to switch to politics? The man in questions is the provisional president of National Conference from Jammu, Davendra Singh Rana. This former political advisor-cum-close confidant of Omar Abdullah owns many automobile showrooms across J&K. It is said that Rana’s business ties helped in his ‘meteoric rise’ within National Conference’s rank and file. “Rana is the one who always wants to maximize his profits in every field,” believes Sham Lal Sharma, congressman and former minister in Omar’s cabinet. “He [Rana] looks at politics from business point of view.”

This summer when NC released its third list of candidates, Rana’s name also figured in the list. It is for the first time he will contest the elections from Nagrota seat.

Maulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari (2)
Moulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari

Other than Rana, who is sailing on two boats, the recently demised PDP legislator, Moulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari was also known for both political and business establishment. Ansari was a Congressman who joined NC before 1996 elections. He won election from Pattan and became a minister. But suddenly Dr Farooq Abdullah dropped him from the cabinet—apparently after he was informed by his finance minister that Ansari was topping the list of tax defaulters.

And soon non-bailabale warrants were issued against him in the multi-crore township scam case. Ansari, who was the Housing and Urban Development Minister in Farooq Abdullah government in 1997, was indicted by a one-man Commission headed by the then Vigilance Commissioner R V Raju who probed the alleged scam. The Commission in its report indicted Ansari, who was tasked to setup a Rs 500-crore satellite township at Sidhra in the outskirts of Jammu city in 1997, for taking Rs 60.25 lakh in kickbacks from Infrastructure Projects Private Limited (IPPL).

When Ansari denied the allegation, Dr Abdullah set up a Commission that also indicted him. In 2005, Ansari dissociated from Congress, resigned as an NC lawmaker and joined Mufti Sayeed led PDP. In 2008 assembly elections he won on PDP mandate from Pattan. He continues to be with PDP as its senior vice president.

However, his politics and business goals had started making many of his colleagues uncomfortable. His Toyota showroom on Parimpora Highway ran in rough weather in recent past after authorities questioned its establishment on agricultural land. But even then, Ansari managed to throw the showroom open – apparently by using his political influence.

After Ansari’s demise, his progeny stepped into his shoes. But they aren’t alone in Mufti’s band. There is one Bukhari – who was recently hailed for his ‘commendable’ role during floods. A J&K’s top-notch industrialist, Altaf Bukhari is the party treasurer and a core group member who formally joined the party in 2005. He is contesting polls from Amira Kadal. This businessman-turned-politician has a long association with the PDP patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed and has emerged as an important voice in the party.

Syed Altaf Bukhari
Syed Altaf Bukhari

Bukhari is known for setting up FIL Industries Pvt Ltd – dealing in all kinds of pesticides and fungicides across India. Having the employee base of over 1200 persons, Bukhari is credited to setup the first and only apple juice concentrate plant in private sector having production capacity of 400 ton/day. The product is exported to different countries.

“Look, politics and business are inseparable,” says Prof Noor Baba, political science professor. “Switchovers have been happening since years; and there isn’t any revelation about it if it is happening now. But yes, all shifts and switchovers have their motives and interests.”

Right from the days of Shiekh, Bakshi and Sadiq’s rule in J&K—the kith and kin of ruling dispensation managed to swell their business fortunes to an extend of flipping their earlier life completely. There are those who made to politics after selling pulses from shop to shop. And then there are those who initially sold beef in valley, went to Jammu to sell second-hand clothes and finally landed in politics. Indeed, politics and business are inseparable, but they are equally intriguing.

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