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Sajjad Lone in direct contest with NC in Handwara
Handwara is among the 16 constituencies in north Kashmir set to go to assembly polls in the third and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir elections. The results will be announced on October 8, along with the Haryana assembly polls.
Banday Mohallah in Handwara has been bustling with political activities over the past few weeks, with candidates of various parties campaigning for the October 1 assembly elections in this constituency in north Kashmir throughout the days while spending hours at nights chalking out strategies to woo more voters the next day.
Handwara is among the 16 constituencies in north Kashmir set to go to assembly polls in the third and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir elections. The results will be announced on October 8, along with the Haryana assembly polls.
Though a total of seven candidates are in the fray, locals see Peoples Conference (PC) chairman Sajjad Lone and National Conference (NC) veteran Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan as the main challengers in this high-profile seat, which is part of the Baramulla-Kupwara Lok Sabha constituency. Peoples Democratic Party’s Gauhar Azad Mir and Bharatiya Janata Party’s Ghulam Mohammad Mir are also in the poll fray.
In the parliamentary polls this summer — which marked the first major electoral exercise in the Union territory post the abrogation of Article 370 — Handwara logged the highest voter turnout of over 67.5% among the various assembly segments in the parliamentary constituency.
The big two
“In this constituency, the people are politically well aware and here it has been the contest between the NC and the PC for decades. Both the parties have a strong cadre here who use everything to see their candidates successful,” Tariq Shafi, a local resident pursuing postgraduation in economics, said.
In the last two assembly polls in J&K — in 2014 and 2008 —Sajjad Lone and Chowdry Ramzan emerged victorious from the seat, respectively, and according to locals, they continue to remain the main contenders in the ongoing polls.
PC’s founder and Sajjad Lone’s father, late Abdul Gani Lone, had won the seat thrice in 1967, 1972 and 1977, making the seat a party bastion. Soon after, however, National Conference’s Chowdry Ramzan established his domination on the seat, winning it four times — 1983, 1987, 1996 and 2008.
In the recent Lok Sabha polls, both Sajjad Lone and National Conference’s vice-president Omar Abdullah lost from Baramulla-Kupwara seat to Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, but the former secured a sizeable lead in Handwara assembly segment.
“I am hopeful that we will secure a good lead from the constituency like we got in Lok Sabha polls,” Lone, who is also contesting from Kupwara, said.
In his campaign, he emphasises on developmental projects he brought to the constituency, especially a medical college.
On the other hand, NC veteran Chowhry Ramzan has been visiting one village after another, meeting people and seeking their support.
“This time I have strong feelings that our candidate will win from Handwara as people realise the importance of this election,” Qamar Ahmad, an NC leader, said.
Other key contenders
Though Handwara is decked primarily with buntings and banners of NC and PC, different political parties have been organising night rallies in the town to draw people’s support.
In certain pockets of the assembly segment, PDP’s Gauhar Azad Mir and BJP’s Ghulam Mohammad Mir also pull crowd and boost of people’s support.
Abdul Majid Banday, of Engineer Rashid’s AIP, has also emerged as a serious contender, banking on the support of the Baramulla lawmaker, who received more than 19,000 votes in the Handwara assembly segment in the LS polls.
“If we compare the results of last Lok Sabha votes it should be a direct fight between Sajjad Lone and Advocate Banday. But once it comes to assembly polls, the AIP candidate can be a vote cutter of both PC and NC and now it remains to be seen whose votes he will dent more on the polling day,” Aftab Ahmad Bhat, a local businessman, said.
