Jammu and Kashmir elections: Jammu and Kashmir is set to hold its first phase of Assembly elections on Wednesday. This is the first major election since the scrapping of Article 370 and taking back of the Valley’s special status in 2019. The last election happened in 2014 when the PDP and BJP worked in alliance to form a coalition government, but it only lasted three years.
Voting in 24 Assembly seats
In this first phase, voting will happen in 24 assembly seats, including places like Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, Anantnag, Ramban, Banihal, Kishtwar, and Doda. More than 23 lakh people, including many young and first-time voters, will be casting their votes. There are over 3,000 polling stations ready, with security in place to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Key Election Battles
- Pulwama: Waheed Para from the PDP is facing a tough fight against Khalil Bandh, who used to be in the same party but has now joined the NC. Para has been in the news for controversial reasons, making this race intense.
- Tral: In Tral, two Sikh candidates, Surinder Singh Channi (Congress) and Dr. Harbaksh Singh (AIP), are battling it out. The votes here might be split between Sikh and Muslim candidates, making it an interesting contest.
- Bijbehara: Iltija Mufti, the daughter of PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, is running for the first time against NC’s Bashir Ahmad Shah. This contest will be crucial for both the PDP and NC.
- Kulgam: Veteran leader Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami from the CPI(M) is competing against Sayar Ahmad Reshi, a candidate with support from the banned Jamaat-e-Islami group.
Other Important Areas
- Banihal: Although the Congress and NC are supposed to be allies, their candidates, Vikar Rasool and Sajad Shaheen, are competing fiercely against each other.
- Zainapora: Aijaz Ahmad Mir, a former PDP MLA, is running as an independent, making it a three-way contest against the PDP and NC.
‘Friendly Contests’ and Rebel Candidates
Despite an alliance, the NC and Congress are fielding candidates against each other in Banihal, Bhaderwah, and Doda. Rebel candidates, such as Pyare Lal Sharma (Inderwal) and two BJP rebels, Rakesh Goswami and Suraj Singh Parihar, are also contesting in this phase.
The first phase of Jammu & Kashmir Assembly elections will be crucial in determining the political landscape of the region post-Article 370.
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