j-k-polls-bjp-nc-pdp-in-triangular-contest-in-nowshera

Nowshera constituency, where the second phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections will be held, is set for a triangular showdown between the Bharatiya Janata Party, National Conference  (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). 

 

The BJP has fielded its UT chief Ravinder Raina for the seat, NC has nominated Kumar Choudhary and the PDP candidate is Haq Nawaz.

 

The Congress has not fielded any candidates for this seat because of its seat-sharing agreement with the NC. 

 

In the 2014 elections, Raina managed to win the seat with a margin of 9,503 votes. He secured 37,374 votes, whereas Surinder Choudhary of the PDP received 27,871 votes.

 

Congress candidate Ravinder Kumar Sharma stood third with 5,342 votes. The constituency in the previous elections polled 75, 512 votes which is approximately 79.71 per cent. 

 

Since then J&K has witnessed significant changes, with Article 370 and 35A gone from the erstwhile state. 

 

Experts suggest that this election is a test for the BJP in its stronghold Jammu after the abrogation of Article 370.

 

While the BJP won both seats in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. The BJP led in 29 segments and Congress in seven Assembly segments during the LS polls. 

 

There is no guarantee of victory for either of the parties this time though. 

 

In the triangular contest in Nowshera the battle between the three major parties will involve the BJP  banking on the Hindu vote bank, while the NC-Congress alliance and PDP banking on their traditional voter base.

 

NC, which held the seat before the BJP did when its candidate Radhay Sham Sharma won it in 2008, wants to snatch it back from its rival.

 

Sharma received 16, 511 votes, with a total vote share of 26.47 per cent. 

 

This constituency has relatively witnessed good voter turnout. During the 2008 elections, it polled a record 73.10 per cent votes.

 

Historically, it was the Congress’s stronghold with the party dominating this seat since 1977 by winning it five times out of seven previous outings.

Results for the Assembly elections will be announced on October 8.