Lok Sabha elections 2019: Poll campaigning ends for Srinagar, Udhampur seats
In 2014, the Srinagar seat was won by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Tariq Hameed Karra, who quit the party and the Lok Sabha in 2016 and joined the Congress in 2016. The National Conference wrested the seat in the byelection in 2017 in a violence-ridden polling, which witnessed a mere 7.14% turnout.
The campaigning for Srinagar and Udhampur Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir, going to the polls in the second phase of elections on April 18, came to an end on Tuesday.
Stringent security measures have been put in place for the polling in Srinagar constituency, spread over three districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal. The constituency has 12.95 lakh voters, who are expected to exercise their franchise at 1,716 polling stations.
In 2014, the Srinagar seat was won by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Tariq Hameed Karra, who quit the party and the Lok Sabha in 2016 and joined the Congress in 2016. The National Conference wrested the seat in the byelection in 2017 in a violence-ridden polling, which witnessed a mere 7.14% turnout.
This time, leaders of mainstream political parties are hopeful of a good turnout as Baramulla Lok Sabha seat in the valley had recorded 35% polling in an almost violence-free election in the first phase on April 11.
On the last day of electioneering, leaders of mainstream parties focussed on Budgam and Ganderbal districts, where polling percentage could be higher than that of Srinagar, as in the past.
NC leader Omar Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and BJP candidate Khalid Jehangir addressed rallies in Budgam and sought votes for their parties.
Meanwhile, a high-level meeting was held in the Srinagar in which security arrangements and poll preparedness were discussed. The meeting was attended by top officials of police, CRPF, BSF and SSB. Twelve candidates are in a fray for the Srinagar seat.
However, it could be a triangular contest between Farooq Abdullah (NC), Irfan Ansari (Peoples Conference) and Agha Mohsin (PDP), with NC patriarch Farooq Abdullah holding an edge over his rivals.
In Udhampur also, all political parties made all-out efforts to woo voters on the last day of campaigning.
The seat is expected to witness a four-cornered contest between Jitendra Singh of the BJP, Vikramaditya Singh of Congress, Choudhary Lal Singh of Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan and Harsh Dev Singh of J&K National Panthers Party. There are eight other candidates in the fray.A total of 16,65,803 voters, including 8,76,353 men and 7,89,426 women, are expected to cast their votes at 2,710 polling stations in the constituency.