High-octane campaigning for Phase 2 ends in J&K

The poll campaigning for the second phase of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir concluded on Monday as leaders tried to woo voters of 26 Assembly constituencies spread across six districts of the UT.

According to an official spokesperson, over 25.78 lakh voters would decide the fate of 239 candidates on Wednesday.

The second phase of the elections would cover 26 Assembly segments, including Ganderbal, Srinagar and Budgam in the Kashmir division, Reasi, Rajouri and Poonch in the Jammu division. There are 15 Assembly constituencies in the Kashmir division and 11 in the Jammu division.

Prominent candidates in the fray in Kashmir include former Chief Minister and National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah; Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari; BJP’s Aijaz Hussain from Lalchowk Assembly segment; J-K Congress chief Tariq Hamid Karra, pro-separatist and jailed cleric Sarjan Barkati.

In the Jammu region, the key candidates include, BJP UT chief Ravinder Raina contesting from Nowshera; BJP’s Chowdhary Zulfikar Ali from Budhal; NC candidate Javed Ahmed Rana and Mohd Shahnawaz, Congress’ candidate from Surankote.

During the second phase of campaigning, ruling and opposition bigwigs led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi locked horns on the political stage. According to latest electoral rolls, 25,78,099 lakh voters, including 13,12,730 lakh male voters, 12,65,316 lakh female voters and 53 third-gender voters, would exercise their franchise.

This is the first assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir post the abrogation of Article 370 which granted special status to the region and its bifurcation into two union territories in August 2019. The last assembly elections were held in 2014.

Officials also said to facilitate the voters for smooth and hassle free electoral participation, the Election Commission has established 3,502 polling stations with 100 per cent webcasting facility across 26 Assembly constituencies. These include 1,056 urban polling stations and 2,446 rural polling stations.