Days after phase one of the Lok Sabha elections in Udhampur ended, the focus has shifted to the Jammu parliamentary constituency, which will go to polls in phase two on April 26.
For this high-profile seat, the contest is between the sitting BJP MP Jugal Kishore Sharma, and J&K’s working Congress president, Raman Bhalla.
Although there are 20 more candidates in the race for this seat, the main battle will be between the former and sitting MPs from the INDIA Bloc and the BJP.
Among other prominent faces are Jagdish Raj of the Bahujan Samajwadi Party and advocate Ankur Sharma of Ekam Sanatan Bharat Dal, who are also trying their luck from the constituency spread across Jammu, Samba, Reasi, and a segment of Rajouri districts.
Meanwhile, the Jammu constituency has 17.8 lakh voters, including 9.2 lakh men, 8.59 lakh women, and 28 third-gender voters eligible to vote at 2416 polling stations, 1750 of which are in rural areas and 666 in urban areas set up in the constituency.
On April 19, the fate of 12 candidates was already sealed in the Udhampur constituency, which recorded 68% voter turnout. The main showdown was between the sitting MoS, Dr Jitendra Singh, and former two-time MP, Chaudhary Lal Singh, representing Congress.
Campaigning in Jammu has intensified, with candidates and their supporters pulling out all stops to convince voters.
The parliamentary elections are happening for the first time in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.
The candidate's faces although have remained the same as in the 2019 elections, where Sharma defeated Raman Bhalla in a close contest.
However, since then, the realities on the ground have changed, particularly after the revocation of Article 370.
Issues like land laws, employment, electricity, and infrastructure are some key factors that might decide the fate of the candidates in the elections.
People in Jammu are closely watching these key election issues as they weigh their options for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Recent concerns over land reforms and encroachments on state land, coupled with tax impositions on residential and commercial properties, have stirred apprehension among residents.
While the BJP highlights development initiatives and social welfare schemes, the Congress-led INDIA Bloc and independent candidates pledge to address these concerns, promising to revisit laws, offer tax waivers, and advocate for statehood restoration and early assembly elections.
With the electoral battle intensifying, both parties are actively seeking support in a landscape where every vote holds significance.
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