NVI Special Correspondent
Srinagar, Sep 30(NVI): It is a do or die situation for the political parties in J&K tomorrow, the last phase of Assembly polls in the UT. Sixteen Assembly seats will go to polls in Kashmir out of total 40 in J&K with at last eight Assembly segments in the Valley having very high stakes. Tomorrow’s phase will decide government formation in J&K.
In Kashmir, 16 Assembly Constituencies are going see high voltage voting that Karnah, Tregham, Kupwara, Lolab, Handwara, Langate, Sopore, Rafiabad, Uri, Baramulla, Gulmarg, Wagoora-Kreeri, Pattan, Sonawari, Bandipora and Gurez (ST). What remains to be seen is how far the AIP party led by Er Rashid is going to make its mark in tomorrow’s phase as its strong bastion Handwara, Langate, Kupwara, Lolab is all set to see a brisk voting. However, the contest for eight seats that include Karnah, Trehgam, Kupwara, Lolab, Handwara, Langate, Sopore and Bandipora will see a thrilling contest.
For the border constituency of Karnah in Kupwara district that has always voted in large numbers, there are eight candidates in the fray but the real fight is among four candidates—Javaid Ahmed Mirchal of National Conference, Firdous Mir of PDP, Raja Manzoor Ahmed Khan of Apni Party and Fayaz Ahmed of Awami Itehad Party (AIP) who is contesting as an independent as AIP is not a registered party yet. From the BJP Muhammad Idress is also in the fray but as per locals of Karnah he will only cut the votes. The seat, as per locals, is up for a triangular contest between Javaid Mirchal of NC, Firdous Mir of PDP and Raja Manzoor of Apni Party. Among the three the seat will sea a close battle between NC’s Javaid and Apni Party’s Raja, the former legislator from Karnah.
After Karnah, one of the politically strategic constituency is Trehgam, Kupwara, the native place of JKLF founder Muhammad Maqbool Bhat, who was sent to gallows in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail. Trehgam is the newly constituted Assembly constituency post delimitation. It has been the boycott bastion in the past for many decades. However, in the recently held Lok Sabha polls, this place voted in large numbers signalling the waves of change. Here, the seat is up for a four-way contest with NC’s Mir Saifullah, Peoples Conference candidate Bashir Ahmed Dar, Nazir Ahmed Mir of AIP and Dr Noor du Din Shah of Apni Party. The people of Trehgam voted in favour of Er Rashid in Lok Sabha polls. But what remains to be seen is whether the seat will go to AIP’s kitty or land in NC’s lap. PC face Bashir Ahmed is also a strong contender for the seat.
Now comes the hot seat, Kupwara, the district headquarters where there will be nail biting contest between big wigs—PC chief Sajad Lone and NC’s Nasir Aslam Wani even as PDP’s Mir Muhammad Fayaz is also going to bag good number of votes here. AIP’s young face Pirzada Firdous Ahmed will be a game changer as he represents AIP. Will people go with pressure cooker (AIP’s symbol) or express faith in PC chief Sajad who lost Lok Sabha polls with a huge margin to Er Rashid. The seat holds great political significance.
Lolab, the picturesque Assembly constituency will see NC’s Qaiser Jamshed Lone will lock horns with PC’s Muadasir Akbar Shah and Dawood Bashir Bhat of AIP. The seat will see an interesting battle. PDP has fielded the Waqar ul Haq Khan, the son of former Lolab legislator, Abdul Haq Khan, who has also served Law minister of the erstwhile J&K State. Can PDP retain the fort, tomorrow’s voting will decide.
Handwara Assembly seat will see a very fierce battle of votes. Here, PC chief Sajad will fight against NC’s Chowdhary Ramzan. Locals of Handwara assert that whosoever wins here, the winning margin is not going to be more than 1000 to 2000 votes. “Its going to be a very tight contest,” said Abdur Rahim, a local resident.
In Langate, the home constituency of AIP chief Er Rashid, from where he made his political journey in 2014. Congress-NC candidate Irshad Hussain Ganai will fight it out with Irfan Sultan Panditpuri of PC, and Khursheed Ahmed Sheikh, the younger brother or Er Rashid. Khursheed quit his government job to take a plunge in politics. He was a government teacher.
In Sopore the Kashmir’s Apple town, NC-Congress will have a friendly contest with Irshad Kar of NC fight friendly against Congress candidate Haji Abdur Rashid. Irshad Ahmed Tantrary of AIP is going to make the contest interesting here. There are 20 candidates in fray in Sopore constituency, which means a huge vote cut.
And last but not the least, Bandipora Assembly constituency, where old guard Nizamudin Bhat, who was first with PDP, then joined Peoples Conference and now is contesting on Congress ticket. He will face journalist turned politician Syed Tajamul of PDP, Syed Shafat Qazmi of Apni Party and Usman Majid who was earlier with Congress and recently joined AIP. Here, Bhat will face Usman directly. Usman is the former MLA of Bandipora and Bhat too has won from the seat once. (News Vibes of India)
