‘Central Shalteng Constituency elections’: Farmers stay in fields, choose harvest over ballot

Srinagar: As voting for the second phase of Jammu & Kashmir’s three-phase assembly elections wrapped up on Wednesday evening, many farmers opted to focus on their fields rather than the polls.
In the golden hues of ripe paddy fields on the outskirts of Central Shalteng constituency, a group of farmers tended to their crops with unwavering determination.
“Elections have lost their allure and we are focused on livelihoods,” Touseef Ahmad, a farmer said.
Another farmer, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, whose weathered face reflected years of hardship, said, “We have heard all the promises before. Every election, they come and tell us they will change everything. But once the votes are counted, they forget us. It’s the same story every time.”
Others echoed similar frustrations as they worked. The air was filled with the rhythmic sound of scythes cutting through rice stalks. Meanwhile, polling stations nearby reported a mixed voter turnout.
Many farmers expressed weariness toward politicians who only appear during election season and vanish afterwards. Their decision to stay in the fields was a practical one. With daily wages for labourers rising to nearly Rs 850, hiring help for harvesting was becoming increasingly expensive.
“Why would I leave my fields and spend hours at the booth?” asked Ghulam Ahmad, another farmer, focused on his task. “If I don’t harvest on time, it will all go to waste. Politicians won’t come to help then.”
These men, hands hardened by years of toil, valued self-reliance over empty promises. “I would rather work myself than hire labour,” one farmer said.
“The cost of hiring someone for a day could feed his family instead,” he explained.
As the sun set behind the mountains, the fields glowed with a warm golden light. The farmers worked diligently, knowing that every grain harvested was essential for their survival through the winter months.
For these Kashmiri farmers, the election symbolised little more than a distant ritual. Their true focus was on securing the fruits of their labour, casting their ballots with each stalk they harvested. In a land where political promises often fall on deaf ears, they found solace and survival in what they could control—their work