The high-voltage campaign for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat concluded on Thursday amid a barrage of attacks from political parties on each other.
Campaigning was in full swing with PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti leading road shows, rallies, and public meetings in different parts of the constituency.
The battle line here is drawn mainly between the NC and PDP. However, the inclusion of the BJP-backed Apni Party candidate Zafar Minhas Iqbal has further spiced up the contest.
More than 20 more candidates are in the fray for the seat.
In 2014, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti won the seat but in 2019 she lost to Justice Retd. Hasnain Masoodi of NC.
PDP's Mehbooba Mufti is seeking her third term in Parliament. Standing in her way is NC's Mian Altaf Larvi, a prominent Gujjar leader. It also looks as if Zafar Minhas Iqbal could spring a surprise or two.
With its boundaries newly redrawn, the Anantnag Rajouri LS seat has historically favoured the PDP in the elections with the party chief being elected twice in
2004 and 2014 from here; however, the trend changed after the PDP- BJP-led alliance was brokered in 2018 and later Article 370 was abrogated by the centre.
Voters have not, therefore, taken too kindly to PDP being associated with the BJP, as a result of which Mufti’s prospects for a third term look somewhat bleak.
Meanwhile, Larvi, a prominent Gujjar leader, is banking on a 38 per cent Gujjar-Bakarwal vote share in the constituency.
First, the delimitation exercise has complicated the whole poll dynamics, with the inclusion of two districts from the other side of the Pir Panjal region connected via the Mughal road that remains closed for more than six months every year.
This in itself poses a challenge for any candidate who has to canvass in both areas simultaneously.
However, this did not stop candidates from organising public rallies, although it has limited the number of campaigns they had scheduled.
Being a native of south Kashmir Mufti has a certain advantage, compared to the other two candidates in the fray.
In her speeches, she highlighted the 1987 elections to remind people of the rigging that took place in Kashmir. While indirectly attributing it to NC, she pointed out that her party had never compromised the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir for power. "We allied with the BJP under our terms and conditions," she said.
Bukhari in the meantime targeted both the NC and PDP for being responsible “for the overall carnage” in Kashmir.
After a roadshow in various parts of Anantnag, he urged people not to support dynastic parties in Jammu and Kashmir.
Polling was scheduled for May 7 in the constituency; however, due to inclement weather conditions, voting was deferred to May 25.
It will be interesting to see which candidate emerges victorious in the seat when the results are out on June 4.
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