CM hopefuls' showdown in J-K, Jharkhand today

While the National Conference (NC) is aiming at retaining all the eight seats from Srinagar— a traditional party stronghold— the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is hoping to make a mark in the state’s summer capital as well as the south Kashmir.

Stage is set for the penultimate round of the five phased polls in Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. More than 4.3 million voters are expected cast their votes for 15 assembly seats in Jharkhand on Sunday with a former chief minister and three incumbent ministers testing their luck. In Jammu and Kashmir, the fate of 182 candidates, including two chief ministerial aspirants will be sealed as well.

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More than 14.73 lakh voters including 7.05 lakh women are expected to exercise their franchise at 1,890 polling stations in four districts of J&K — Srinagar, Anantnag, Shopian and Samba.

While the National Conference (NC) is aiming at retaining all the eight seats from Srinagar— a traditional party stronghold— the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is hoping to make a mark in the state’s summer capital as well as the south Kashmir.

Chief minister Omar Abdullah is in the fray from Sonwar in Srinagar—a constituency earlier represented by his father Farooq Abdullah—the PDP patron and party chief ministrial candidate Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is seeking re-election from Anantnag assembly.

While the BJP on the other hand is hoping of making inroads in at least two constituencies, which have a majority of Kashmiri Pandit voters, the Congress is eyeing south Kashmir.