Campaigning ends in J&K, 40 seats go to polls in last phase

Campaigning for the high-stakes third and final phase of the J&K Assembly elections ended on Sunday with keen contest on the cards among the NC, PDP and Awami Ittehad Party in the Valley and a do-or-die battle between the BJP and Congress in Jammu division.

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Kharge taken ill during rally

• Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge was taken unwell during a rally in Jasrota belt of J&K’s Kathua district. After medical aid, Kharge said he was “not going to die before PM Narendra Modi was removed from power”. Modi later dialled Kharge to enquire about his health inside

Fate of Lone, Lal Singh on line

• The final phase election will decide the fate of J&K People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone from Handwara, Congress’ Raman Bhalla from RS Pura-Jammu South, BJP’s Devender Singh Rana from Nagrota and Congress’ Choudhary Lal Singh from Basohli

Polling will be held in 40 of the total 90 seats, the highest in all three phases, on October 1 to seal the fate of 415 candidates. Twentyfour of these seats fall in the Jammu region and 16 in Kashmir. Over 39.18 lakh voters are eligible to cast their ballot.

Security has been stepped up in the seven districts — Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipora, Udhampur, Samba, Kathua and Jammu — that go to the polls amid terror threat. Most of the constituencies are located along the Line of Control and International Border. As many as 29 polling stations have been set up along the border.

In the Valley, a keen contest is expected in Handwara, where Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone is pitted against NC’s Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan. It will be also be an acid test for Engineer Rashid’s Awami Ittehad Party.

The elections will determine the future of Lone and Rashid in Valley politics. Rashid is the sitting Member of Parliament from Baramulla. Former PDP leader Muzafar Hussain Baig is contesting as an Independent from the Baramulla Assembly seat.

NC vice-president Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti have led an aggressive campaign for the crucial phase. High-profile leaders, including PM Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, also held rallies for their candidates.

In the Jammu region, it is a direct battle between the Congress and BJP. Congress working president Raman Bhalla is facing a stiff competition from BJP’s Narinder Singh Raina in the border RS Pura-Jammu South constituency.

The battle for Nagrota is being keenly followed as Devender Singh Rana is contesting on the BJP ticket there. He was the NC MLA from the constituency in 2014. Another interesting contest is expected in the Basohli constituency, where Congress’ Choudhary Lal Singh is giving a tough challenge to the BJP.

Chief electoral officer Pandurang K Pole said 5,060 polling stations had been set up in the seven districts where polling will be held in the third phase. A total of 20,000 polling staff would be part of the third phase.

“All polling stations will have CCTV coverage and the proceedings will be webcast live to control rooms set up at the district and CEO offices. The secrecy of vote will be ensured,” the officer said.