Phase one of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections is set to take place on September 18, across 24 constituencies in seven districts of the union territory.
Out of the 24 constituencies, 16 are based in Kashmir, and eight are in the Jammu division.
Also Read: How are Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections ‘different’ for Omar Abdullah?
According to the Election Commission, 219 candidates are contesting during phase one of the polls.
This will be the first time assembly polls are conducted in the region since 2014 and the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
Also Read: Amit Shah taunts Cong, says ex-HM Sushil Shinde can now visit J&K ‘with family’. Here’s why
Ahead of voting tomorrow, here are some of the key candidates in the first phase of the assembly elections:
Iltija Mufti
PDP’s Iltija Mufti, daughter of former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, is contesting from the Bijbehara-Srigufwara constituency. She is pitted against NC’s Bashir Ahmad Veeri and BJP’s Sofi Mohammad Yousuf.
In an interview with ANI, the 37-year-old leader said, “My responsibility is that I become a ray of hope for the people. People for five years have been left without any hope.”
Mufti has focused on issues of unemployment among the youth and rising prices as her platform during the polls.
Waheed Para
Another PDP leader, Waheed Para is contesting from the Pulwama constituency and faces competition from Mohammad Khalil Bandh, now contesting on an NC ticket.
In the run-up to the elections, Para has used his former imprisonment under the UAPA in 2020 to popularise the slogan of ‘Jail Ka Badla Vote Say’ (Voting will avenge jail) and has leveraged his experience as a youth leader for the PDP
Para also faces competition from a former member of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami, Talat Majid, reported news agency PTI.
Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami
Seeking his fifth consecutive term from the Kulgam segment, Tarigami faces independent candidate affiliated to banned Jamaat-e-Islami, Sayar Ahmed Reshi.
The PDP has fielded Mohammad Amin Dar and Apni Party’s Engineer Mohammad Aqib has also put his hat in the ring. Tarigami has won the seat since 1996.
Khalid Najib Suharwady
The NC candidate is engaging in a friendly contest with Congress’ Sheikh Riyaz from the Doda constituency.
Suharwady has served as Jammu and Kashmir’s home minister from 2001 to 2002 under former chief minister Farooq Abdullah and as a MLC from 2009 to 2015.
Sheikh Riyaz previously served as a sarpanch and was the party secretary for the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir as well.
Sanjay Saraf
Representing the community of Kashmiri Pandits, Sanjay Saraf is contesting from the Anantnag seat on a Lok Jan Shakti Party (LJSP) ticket.
More than 35,000 displaced Kashmiri Pandits from across the country are eligible to vote in the polls making him a candidate to watch out for.
He will be facing PDP’s Abdul Rehman Veeri, who has previously served as minister for rural development.
Apart from these, other candidates to look out for are – NC’s Sakina Itoo who is seeking another term from Damhal Hajipora, PDP’s Sartaj Madni contesting from Devsar and Ghulam Mohammad Saroori will also be contesting as an independent, seeking a fourth term from Doda (west) after he was denied a ticket by the DPAP.
The Congress and NC alliance have focused on promising restoration of statehood in their manifesto, which is in common with the PDP as well.
The BJP has focused its appeals on reservations for OBC minorities as well as changing the union territory into a tourist spot instead of a “terrorism spot”.
The other two phases of voting will be held on September 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 8.
