Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Nov 30: As campaigning ended this evening for second phase of polling in 18 Assembly constituencies of the State—nine each in Jammu and Kashmir regions, authorities geared up to face any eventuality on the day of polling on December 2 especially in the wake of recent fidayeen attack at Arnia in which 12 persons were killed and yesterday’s grenade attack at Lal Chowk, Srinagar in which eight persons were injured.
The Election Commission, State administration, police and para-military forces have made all arrangements for the polling in all 18 Assembly segments, nine each in Jammu and Kashmir regions.
Director General of Police (DGP) K Rajendra Kumar told the Excelsior that para-military forces and police have taken control of all 2181 polling stations of 18 Assembly constituencies including about 100 odd polling stations falling close to the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch and Kupwara sectors, the two border districts, which also go to polls on December 2.
He said Army has been alerted along the LoC especially in the two districts going to polls in Phase-II to keep strict vigil on any movement of the militants, who could try to sabotage the elections after successful conduct of Phase-I of polling in 15 Assembly constituencies.
“A Contingency Plan is in place for all 100 odd polling stations falling close to the LoC, which could require relocation in case of any firing from Pakistan side. Alternate polling stations for all vulnerable places have been identified under the Plan and would be ready for polling if any relocation was required,’’ Mr Rajendra said, adding administration was well poised to ensure uninterrupted polling at any cost.
The State Police chief said about 400 additional companies of para-military forces—200 each for nine seats in Jammu and Kashmir regions—have been deployed in polling stations and all sensitive areas of nine segments. Apart from Central forces, Armed and local police have also been mobilized and deployed in full strength in the areas going to polls on Tuesday.
He added that security of the candidates has been further stepped-up in second phase after terror attacks in Arnia and Lal Chowk.
Campaigning for all 18 Assembly segments, which were scheduled for polling on December 2, ended at 6 pm today.
Several high profile candidates including four Ministers, separatist leader Sajjad Lone, who has recently come close to the BJP and several sitting and former Legislators were among 175 candidates in fray for December 2 voting, whose fate would be decided by 15.35 lakh electorates.
The campaign fever had heightened in this leg after 71.28 per cent voting in 15 seats during the first phase.
The campaigning for the second phase saw many political bigwigs addressing rallies including Prime Minister Narendra Modi who held two rallies in Udhampur and Poonch and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi who addressed rallies at Lolab and Poonch. Senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh held a telephonic rally in Kashmir.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, PDP patron Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad also held several rallies. Apart from Modi, top BJP leaders including Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Smriti Irani, Dr Jitendra Singh and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and senior party leaders Shahnawaz Hussain and Navjot Singh Sidhu also joined the party campaign.
Among the candidates in the fray are four Ministers including Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Choudhary Mohammed Ramzan (Handwara), Social Welfare Minister Sakina Itoo (Noorabad), Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mir Saifullah (Kupwara) and Minister of State for Revenue Aijaz Khan (Gool Arnas).
Sajjad Lone is also in the fray from the Handwara Assembly constituency. Lone, who joined mainstream politics by contesting 2009 Lok Sabha polls, is making his debut in the Assembly polls. BJP has not fielded candidate in Handwara.
Though the campaigning for the second leg passed off peaceful, security arrangements have been tightened following a terrorist attack in Arnia on November 28 in which 12 people were killed and a grenade attack in Srinagar yesterday in which eight people were injured. Yesterday, militants had also triggered a blast targeting an army vehicle near LoC in Poonch, but the troops escaped unhurt.
Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Sartaj Madni (Devsar) and Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council Javed Rana (Mendhar) are also in the fray in the second phase.
All but two sitting MLAs are seeking re-election in the second phase. While Chaudhary Mohammad Aslam (Congress), who won in 2008 from Surankote, passed away this year, PDP has not fielded Sardar Rafiq Khan from Mendhar in view of his ill health and replaced him with Mohammad Mahroof Khan. Congress has fielded Aslam’s son—Choudhary Akram from Surankote.
Sakina Itoo is the only woman only woman minister in National Conference-led coalition Government.
Former ministers who are trying their luck are Harshdev Singh, Abdul Gani Malik, Jugal Kishore, Jagjivan Lal, Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, Nissar Khan and Abdul Gaffar Sofi.
Besides the Handwara constituency from where Lone is contesting, attention will be on Reasi and Kulgam seats.
In Kulgam, the CPI(M) face in Jammu and Kashmir Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami is seeking fourth consecutive term. Similarly Harshdev Singh in Ramnagar and Abdul Gani Malik from Gulabgarh were also seeking fourth consecutive term in second face of polling.
All 18 seats will witness a multi-cornered contest with Noorabad constituency having the highest number of 15 candidates, followed by Reasi (14), Handwara and Kupwara (12 each).
Ramnagar in Udhampur have the least number of candidates at six, while Chenani, Gulabgarh and Karnah have seven each.
Among the 15.35 lakh voters, there are 7.22 lakh females and nine transgender.
Meanwhile, following yesterday’s grenade attack in Lal Chowk, security has been beefed up in the entire Kashmir valley, especially places where polling is to be held.
The nine constituencies going to poll in Jammu included three in Reasi district (Gulabgarh, Reasi and Gool Arnas), three in Udhampur district (Udhampur, Chenani and Ramnagar) and three in Poonch (Surankote, Mendhar and Poonch- Haveli).
The nine constituencies in Kashmir Valley are Karnah, Kupwara, Lolab, Handwara and Langate in Kupwara district, and Noorabad, Kulgam, Home Shalibugh and Devsar in Kulgam district.
Gulabgarh has 68,307 voters and 113 polling stations, Reasi has 1,08,084 voters and 173 polling stations, Gool Arnas has 61,355 voters and 117 polling stations.
Udhampur has 1,05,735 voters and 155 polling stations, Chenani has 86,847 voters and 128 polling stations, Ramnagar has 1,07,213 voters and 172 polling stations. Surankote has 85,295 voters and 121 polling stations, Mendhar has 80,819 voters and 124 polling stations and Poonch Haveli has 99,735 voters and 144 polling stations.
Karnah has 32,794 voters and 60 polling stations, Kupwara has 1,06,776 voters and 129 polling stations, Lolab has 99,753 voters and 129 polling stations, there are 89, 910 voters and 120 polling stations in Handwara, while Langate has 70,543 voters with 97 polling stations.
Noorabad has 73,265 voters and 89 polling stations, Kulgam has 93,918 voters and 119 polling stations, Home Shalibugh has 75,862 voters and 92 polling stations, Devsar has 88,875 voters and 99 polling stations.
Terming the high voter percentage in the first phase as “historic”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said, “This is a victory of ballet over bullet.” He had also expressed hope that people would continue to show participation in the remaining four phases.
Polling for the 87-member seat is being held in five phases. The third phase of voting will be held on December 9, fourth phase on December 14 and fifth on December 20.
Counting of votes will be held on December 23.
In Karnah seven candidates are in fray but the main contest is between National Conference candidates Kafilur Rehman and Raja Manzoor Ahmad Khan of PDP.
Kupwara where 12 candidates are in fray, there is tri-angular contest between Saifullah Mir of NC, Mir Mohammad Fayaz of PDP and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate and Advocate Bashir Ahmad Dar of PC.
In Lolab, there are nine candidates in fray with main contest between PDP candidate Abdul Haq Khan and Qaisar Jamshed Lone of NC.
The Handwara constituency has 12 candidates in fray with main contest between Sajjad Gani Lone of PC and Chowdhary Ramzan of NC.
In Lagate there are 11 candidates in fray with main contest between AIP candidate Engineer Abdul Rashid, PC candidate Advocate Mohammad Abdullah Mir and Ghulam Nabi Gania of PDP.
In Noorabad Kulgam in South Kashmir there are 15 candidates in fray with main contest between NC candidate Sakina Itoo and PDP candidate Abdul Majeed Paddar.
Eight candidates are in fray in Kulgam with main contest between Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami of CPI (M), Nazir Ahmad Lawvey of PDP and Imran Nabi Dar of NC.
Eight candidates are in fray in Homeshalibugh with main contest between Abdul Gaffar Sofi of PDP, Abdul Majid of NC and Anayattah Rather of Congress.
In Devsar eight candidates are in fray with main contest being between Sartaj Madni of PDP, Peerzada Ghulam Ahmad of NC and Mohammad Amin Bhat of Congress.
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