The killings of three prominent activists of the ruling People's Democratic Party in as many days has jolted the rank and file of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
Sayeed last week formally opened the poll campaign for his party when he told a public meeting in Baramulla: "My government had not failed them and now it was their turn to support him during the coming days which would be trying times for the ruling party."
On Thursday militants struck in high security Hyderpora locality and shot dead a prominent activist of Mufti's PDP. Two policemen also died in the shootout. Another prominent activist and block president of the party was gunned down by militants inside his house at Aripanthan on Wednesday night.
Earlier, another activist was gunned down in Budgam.
It is important to mention that during the last fourteen years of militant violence in Jammu and Kashmir state, militants had been targeting the activists of the National Conference and the Congress as also the surrendered militants and suspected informers for the various security force agencies.
For the PDP and its cadres, to be targeted by militants is a rather recent phenomenon.
"There is no justification in killing people. On one hand both India and Pakistan have entered into a dialogue for resolving issues and cementing bonds of friendship together with normalisation of relations, while on other hand comprehensive dialogue between the Centre and the All Parties Hurriyat Conference has taken off to address internal dimension of the problem," Sayeed said.
"The people of the state are yearning for peace and such incidents are unfortunate as the situation has been otherwise improving fast," he added.