Two BJP rebels, Retd Judge among 12 opt out
Ex BJP chief, many former Ministers in fray
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 9: Direct to multi-cornered contests are likely to be witnessed in 11 Assembly constituencies of Rajouri, Poonch and Reasi districts in Jammu division which will go to polls in second phase on September 25 as today was last day for withdrawal of papers and dozen candidates including two BJP rebels, one of them a former MP and a retired Judge opted out of the fray.
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Nowshera segment where former BJP UT chief Ravinder Raina is in the race will witness replica of 2014 political fight between him and Surinder Choudhary. Only difference this time is that Choudhary had switched over to National Conference now while he was PDP candidate in 2014. In between, he also joined the BJP.
BSP’s Manohar Singh, a Member of the District Development Council is also in the fray and yields influence in some pockets.
In the last election, Raina’s victory margin was 10,000. Congress candidate Ravinder Sharma was also in the fray then and had secured over 5300 votes. However, as per NC-Congress seat-sharing agreement, Nowshera seat is being contested by the NC.
In another high-profile seat of Rajouri, the BJP received shot in the arm when party rebel and ex MP and Minister Choudhary Talib Hussain withdrew his nomination papers today. Retired Judge Zubair Ahmed Raza also opted out of the electoral contest.
Left in the race now are BJP general secretary Vibodh Gupta, Iftikhar Ahmed (Congress) and Mian Mahfooz, a prominent spiritual leader making it a triangular contest though candidates of other parties and Independents are also in the fray.
In 2014, Qamar Choudhary of PDP won Rajouri seat defeating Choudhary Talib Hussain with a margin of around 2000 votes. Shabir Khan of Congress, who won the seat in 2008 and served as Minister, finished third while Mirza Abdul Rashid, former MP, came fourth.
Qamar Choudhary and Shabir Khan have this time shifted to newly created Thannamandi segment as PDP and Congress candidates respectively. They are facing Iqbal Malik, a retired officer and DDC member, who is the BJP candidate and Muzaffar Ahmed Khan, an Independent and NC rebel, who had taken voluntary retirement as the Judge. However, as Thannamandi seat was given to Congress by the NC, Khan joined the fray as Independent.
Interesting electoral battles are brewing up in Sunderbani-Kalakote and Budhal seats of Rajouri district with two relatives in direct contest against each other.
Choudhary Zulfkar Ali (BJP) is facing NC’s Javed Choudhary in Budhal seat though Guftar Choudhary of PDP is also in the fray. Zulfkar, a two-time MLA and former Minister, is maternal uncle of Javed. Zulfkar had won the seat in 2008 and 2014 as PDP candidate. Later, he joined Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party and switched over to the BJP ahead of Assembly elections.
In Sunderbani-Kalakote constituency, Thakur Randhir Singh (BJP) is facing Yasuvardhan Singh (NC) in direct fight. Randhir is uncle of Yasuvardhan. Randhir is brother and Yasuvardhan is son of former NC MLA from Kalakote Rashpal Singh. Other candidates from political parties and Independents are also in the race.
In Rajouri, the understanding on seat sharing between NC and Congress is perfect with no friendly fights. NC is contesting Sunderbani-Kalakote, Nowshera and Budhal seat and the Congress is in the fray in Rajouri and Thanna Mandi.
In Surankote Assembly constituency of Poonch district, BJP rebel and DDC Member Suhail Malik withdrew his nomination papers today leaving his party candidate Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, a two-time MLA and former Minister in the race with Shahnawaz Choudhary of Congress, Choudhary Akram, who won the seat in 2014 as Congress MLA, has joined the contest as an Independent candidate and PDP’s Javid Iqbal among others. Akram, son of Congress stalwart late Choudhary Mohammad Aslam, former Minister and MP, had joined NC and entered the contest as an Independent candidate after seat went to the NC.
In Poonch-Haveli seat, Shah Mohammad Tantray, who emerged victorious in 2014 on the PDP mandate, is in the fray this time as Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party nominee facing Aijaz Jan of NC, the winner of 2008 election, Choudhary Abdul Gani of BJP, Shamim Ganai (PDP) and Udesh Paul Sharma son of former PDP MLA Yash Paul Sharma (Independent) besides others.
Triangular contest is, however, on the cards in Mendhar constituency of Poonch among Javed Rana, a two-time MLA from NC, Murtaza Khan of BJP and Nadeem Khan son of former MLA Rafeeq Khan of PDP.
NC has been contesting Poonch and Mendhar seats and has left Surankote for the Congress.
In Reasi district, newly created Shri Mata Vaishno Devi seat will witness triangular contest after last date of withdrawals. Main contenders left in the fray include Baldev Sharma (BJP), Jugal Kishore Sharma (Independent) and Bhupinder Jamwal (Congress).
Baldev won Reasi seat in 2008. Jugal emerged victorious in 2002 as Congress candidate but lost in 2008 and 2014. Jugal, a former Minister had switched over to Ghulam Nabi Azad’s DPAP but was denied mandate and is in the fray as an Independent candidate.
In Reasi constituency, the fight appears to be direct between BJP’s Kuldeep Raj Dubey and Congress nominee Mumtaz Khan. Mumtaz had in 2014 won Gulabgarh seat and later joined JKAP. He recently returned to the Congress and was given mandate by the party.
In Gulabgarh constituency, former Minister Aijaz Khan is in the fray as an Independent candidate facing Engineer Khursheed (NC) and Akram Khan (BJP) among others. Aijaz is three-time MLA from Gool-Arnas and brother of Mumtaz Khan. He too had joined JKAP after quitting the Congress. However, he has filed papers as an Independent candidate.
In Reasi district, Congress is contesting Katra and Reasi seats and NC is in the fray in Gulabgarh.
After last date for withdrawals, a total of 79 candidates were left in the fray for second phase of elections in three districts of Jammu division including 34 in Rajouri, 25 in Poonch and 20 in Reasi. Twelve candidates withdrew their papers—five each in Rajouri and Poonch districts and two in Reasi.
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