Amidst violent protest and demands of boycott in large areas of the Kashmir Valley, the state goes to poll in various phases. Surprisingly the Chief Election Commissioner’s worst fears about the weather has come true as hours before the polling starts, valley experienced heavy snowfall.
Contrary to the section in the world press carrying articles linking voters turn out with the legitimacy of India’s control over Kashmir, it will be the people’s faith and determination towards democratic process which will be on test. For the moment it is time to take a closer look on prominent constituencies which will be on popular radar simply because of the impact they leave.
Mendhar : 1st Phase Poll
The battle for the assembly segment here is a virtual contest between the Gujjars and the Pahari Rajputs as the candidates from the National Conference and People`s Democratic Party belong to the two respective communities.
Gujjar leader Javed Rana, who won this seat in the last election in 2002, is pitted in a neck-to-neck fight against PDP candidate and influential Pahari Rajput leader Rafiq Hussain Khan in the November 17 contest.
Rana is a prominent Gujjar and his brother, former additional director general of police and Vice Chancellor of Baba Gulam Shah Badshah University, Maqsood Choudary is highly influential in the community in Rajouri and Poonch districts.
Gujjars also connect with the NC as the wife of Kashmir`s first chief minister and titan Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Begum Akbar Jehan, was a Gujjar.
Rana had won over 51 percent of the electorate, winning 24530 votes in 2002.
On his part Rafiq Hussain Khan is making a pitch for the Pahari vote and is focussing on the "Good work done by the PDP and former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed."
In 2002, he contested as an independent and secured 16,665 votes.
Rana and Rafiq are pitted against 10 others - Abdul Majid (Congress), Mohammad Ilyas (BJP), Mohmmad Saheeq (BSP), Shamim Ahmed (Awami National Conference), Tariq Khan (JKNPP), Mohmmad Razaq Khatana (JK Democratic Party Nationalist), Mughal Khan (Samajwadi Party), Abdul Ghani (Lok Janshakti Party) and independents Mumtaz Ahmed and Choudary Showkat Ali.
Ganderbal : Goes to poll on 23rd Nov – II Phase
National Conference’s firebrand leader Omar Abdullah had lost to PDP’s Qazi Afzal in 2002 elections and hence will be the most watched out seat in the ongoing elections.
Omar who has already announced that its not him but his father who will be the CM, would leave no stone unturned for winning the popular mandate. His main hurdle will definitely come from separatist leaders like Yasin Mallik who has boycotted the polls.
Jammu East
President of the BJP’s state unit Ashok Khajuria is seeking election from this constituency. Khajuria lost to INC candidate in the last election and would be hoping some changes in the fortune this time around.
Jammu West
Congress Party’s state president Mangat Ram Sharma had won the much sought after seat in the 2002 elections. BJP, in a bid to woo the Hindu majority seat would heavily rely on its tallest leader in the state, Chaman Lal Gupta, to turn the fortunes this time around.
Bishnah
The constituency was in news for being the epicentre of protest in the Amarnath land row. The seat will be one of the most watched out seat as Shilpi Verma, widow of Kuldip Verma who died during the agitation is contesting on BJP’s ticket
Bandipora
National Conference candidate Ghulam Rasool Mir is pitted against Nizamuddin Bhat of the PDP and Usman Majid of the Awami League. Going by the undercurrent in Bandipora, Usman Majid, who won the elections there in 2002, poses a serious challenge to the other two main candidates.
