More than 83 candidates are in the race for the six LS seats in the state which are being held in five phases.
From a nondescript activist to non-state subject to serially unsuccessful challenger, Lok Sabha elections in Jammu & Kashmir are witnessing a unique mosaic of candidates trying their luck against the political bigwigs.
More than 83 candidates are in the race for the six LS seats in the state which are being held in five phases. Jammu seat has the highest number of 24 candidates, followed by sensitive Anantnag with 18 candidates. Srinagar and Udhampur seats have 12 candidates each. Baramulla and Ladakh seats have nine and eight candidates respectively.
However, majority of the candidates are either independents or from lesser-known parties. For the first time since 1996 polls, many non-state subjects are contesting polls from the terror-plagued valley.
Shams Khwaja, a lawyer from UP and based in Delhi is contesting from sensitive Anantnag seat against PDP chief and former CM Mehbooba Mufti, J&K Congress chief GA Mir and National Conference candidate Justice (retd) Hasnain Masoodi.
Some of the candidates are in the race just to make their presence felt. "This is my fourth election. I am working for the backward classes. It is important that the community have representation," said Mohammad Abdullah Chatwal, an independent from Baramulla constituency.
Some candidates are so confident that they even want to challenge PM Modi in Varanasi. Sajad Ahmad Dar aka Sajad Noorabadi, an independent from Srinagar, is likely to contest against Modi. Sajad had filed nomination in Anantnag bypolls in 2017 but the polls were countermanded.
Abdul Khaliq Bhat, a candidate from Shiv Sena for Srinagar, has been unsuccessfully contesting since 2008 from different parties. "I have contested from Chadoora assembly seat in 2008. I later joined BJP but they did not give me ticket in 2014. For the last three years, I am with Shiv Sena," he said.
Bhim Singh, a top-notch Supreme Court advocate and patron of National Panthers Party (NPP), is trying his luck for the eighth time. This time he is contesting from Jammu. Earlier he unsuccessfully contested against late Rajiv Gandhi in Amethi and former DyPM LK Advani in Delhi.
83 in fray for LS
- More than 83 candidates are in the race for the six LS seats in the state which are being held in five phases.
- While some are in fray just for sake of contesting, some are even confident of taking on PM Modi in Varanasi.
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 "Lok Sabha Election 2019")
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