Srinagar

The second phase of polling in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections is crucial for the political future of bigwigs Omar Abdullah, Vice President of the National Conference, and BJP chief Ravinder Raina.

The voting for 26 Assembly segments is taking place in six districts of J&K, including the terrorism-prone Reasi, Rajouri, and Poonch and relatively calmer Srinagar, Ganderbal, and Budgam in Kashmir.

A total of 25.78 lakh voters will decide the fate of 239 candidates in the penultimate round of polling.

Extraordinary security is in place in Jammu’s border areas to keep the polling uninterrupted by the Pakistani intruders.  

The officials said, about 400 para commandoes have been deployed in Jammu’s three areas that are going to the polls in this phase. These areas had witnessed encounters with and attacks by the heavily armed Pakistani mercenaries in recent months.

In all, 11 constituencies in Jammu and 15 in Kashmir are going to the polls in this phase.

 The National Conference party has maximum stakes in this phase of polling as the twin districts of Srinagar and Budgam are considered the party’s strongholds.

However, this time the party is not taking any chance and has fielded Omar Abdullah from two seats one in central Kashmir – Ganderbal and Budgam.

Ganderbal had elected Omar’s grandfather and founder of NC Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in 1977, and his father Farooq Abdullah in 1983, 1987, and 1996.

Omar Abdullah was later elected from the constituency in 2008.

In Budgam, Abdullah is up against seven other candidates including PDP's Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi and Awami National Conference's Aga Syed Ahmad Moosvi.

Among the 239 candidates contesting across 26 constituencies are former chief minister Omar Abdullah, Bharatiya Janata Party's state president Ravinder Raina, and Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari

The chief of J&K Bharatiya Janata Party Ravinder Raina is seeking re-election from Nowshehra in the Rajouri district. He faces a challenge from former party colleague Surinder Choudhary who is contesting as NC candidate.

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Tariq Hameed Karra also faced voters as he is contesting from the Central Shalteng seat in Srinagar. He is supported by the NC and faces PDP's Abdul Qayum Bhat, Awami National Conference's Riyaz Ahmad Mir and Apni Party's Zaffer Habib Dar.

Jailed Kashmiri cleric Sarjan Ahmad Wagay, widely known as Sarjan Barkati has filed nomination papers for two constituencies—Ganderbal and Beerwah.

Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari, the wealthiest candidate in the second phase with assets exceeding ₹165 crore is contesting from the Channapora seat in Srinagar.

Bukhari is facing competition from PDP's Mohammed Iqbal Trumboo, National Conference's Mushtaq Guroo, and BJP's Hilal Ahmad Wani.

Others in the race include former senior ministers, NC's Abdul Rahim Rather and PDP's Ghulam Nabi Hanjura, both fighting each other in the Chrar-e-Sharief Assembly constituency in Budgam.

Another senior minister, Ali Muhammad Sagar of the NC is fighting elections from the Khanyar Assembly constituency of Srinagar while Apni Party President and former minister Altaf Bukhari is fighting from the Chanapora constituency of Srinagar district.

Former Minister, Hakim Mohammad Yaseen, of the KDF, is fighting elections from the Khansahib constituency of Budgam district.

In the Valley, 15 Assembly constituencies going to vote are- Kangan (ST), Ganderbal, Hazratbal, Khanyar, Habbakadal, Lal Chowk, Channapora, Zadibal, Eidgah, Central Shalteng, Budgam, Beerwah, Khansahib, Chrar-i-Sharief and Chadoora.

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In Jammu division, 11 Assembly constituencies - Gulabgarh (ST), Reasi, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, Kalakote, Sunderbani, Nowshera, Rajouri (ST), Budhal (ST), Thannamandi (ST), Surankote(ST), Poonch Haveli, and Mendhar (ST).