Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): As campaigning for the second phase of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections concludes on Monday, a total of 239 candidates are in the electoral fray including former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who faces a tough challenge on the Ganderabal hot seat, Apni Party Chief, Altaf Bukhari and J&K BJP President Ravinder Raina contesting the high stakes Chanapora and Nowshera seats. PDP-Turned-Apni Party-Turned BJP Turncoat Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali is making his saffron party debut from Budhal seat.
Political parties are making their final push for voter support. Voting for the second phase will take place on Wednesday September 25 for 26 seats.
Omar's Ganderbal Predicament
Former Chief Minister and NC Vice President Omar Abdullah faces an uphill task on the high stakes Ganderabal seat, the Abdullahs' stronghold over the years. Omar is contesting against former NC MLA Ishfaq Jabbar, who was expelled by the NC last year in the aftermath of Article 370 abrogation.
JKNC VP Omar Abdullah captivates a large, enthusiastic audience in his late evening address at Ganderbal. A must watch! pic.twitter.com/BkV6pNDIhG
— JKNC (@JKNC_) September 22, 2024
Omar had lost the seat in 2002 to Qazi Afzal, but reclaimed the seat in 2008. In 2014, Omar vacated the seat for newcomer Ishfaq Jabbar, who is contesting as an Independent this time around. Besides Ishfaq, Sheikh Ashiq of the Engineer Rashid led Awami Ittihad Party, Bashir Mir of the PDP and Sarjan Wagay alias Barkati are the other major candidates in the electoral fray on the Ganderbal seat.
JKNC Vice President and Alliance candidate for Ganderbal and Budgam Omar Abdullah presided over a workers meeting at Ompora , Budgam. He was accompanied by Member of parliament from Srinagar @RuhullahMehdi Party Treasurer @oberoi_shammi , Senior leaders Agha Mehmood, saifudin… pic.twitter.com/hmay5wRfhl
— JKNC (@JKNC_) September 22, 2024
The uncertainty on the Ganderbal seat has forced Omar Abdullah to contest from Budgam seat where he faces his nearest rival in PDP candidate Aga Muntazir Mehdi.
Chowdhary Zulfkar's BJP Debut
The second phase of Jammu and Kashmir assembly election will also witness a fierce battle between PDP-Turned-Apni Party-Turned BJP Turncoat Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali and PDP candidate Guftar Ahmad on the Budhal seat. Zulfkar, who was a minister in the Mehbooba Mufti led PDP-BJP coalition government, quit the party after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 to join newly floated Apni Party led by Altaf Bukhari. Zulfkar again jumped the ship ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly election to join the saffron party.
कांग्रेस और JKNC ने वादा किया है कि अगर जम्मू-कश्मीर में उनकी सरकार बनी, तो आतंकियों को रिहा कर दिया जाएगा। लेकिन देश में मोदी सरकार है, और भारत की धरती पर आतंकवाद को बढ़ावा देने वालों के साथ कोई रियायत नहीं बरती जाएगी। उन्हें सख्त से सख्त सजा दी जाएगी।
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) September 21, 2024
आज राजौरी की जनसभा में… pic.twitter.com/CH06ZRcFvd
Besides Omar Abdullah and Zulfkar, noted candidates in the fray include former minister and Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari contesting from Chanapora, J&K BJP Chief Ravinder Raina from Nowshera, former Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather from Chrari Sharif, J&K Congress President Tariq Hameed Karra from Central Shalteng and Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen from Khansahib.
The Election Commission has scheduled the elections in three phases, with the first phase held on September 18, the second phase on September 25, and the final phase on October 1. Vote counting is set for October 8. This marks the first Assembly election in J&K since 2014.
In the first phase, voters in 24 constituencies cast their ballots, recording a turnout of over 61.13%. In the second phase, 26 constituencies will go to the polls, including eight seats in Rajouri and Poonch districts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have both addressed election rallies, underscoring the government's stance on Article 370 and touting its impact in reducing violence in the region. Modi criticized previous administrations, claiming that three political families had weakened the state, but that the upcoming election would change the future of Jammu and Kashmir.
Today, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is scheduled also to hold two election rallies in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha will address his first rally at 12 pm in Surankote, Poonch, followed by a second event in Srinagar’s Central Shalteng at 1:30 pm, party leaders said.
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