Voters stand in a queue at a polling station to cast votes during the second phase of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections.
Credit: PTI Photo
Udhampur, Jammu & Kashmir: Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district, which comprises four assembly constituencies, is set to witness a fierce multi-cornered contest between the BJP, the Congress, and J&K National Panthers Party (JKNPP).
The four assembly seats in the district include Udhampur West, Udhampur East, Chenani, and Ramnagar which is a reserved constituency.
While BJP candidate and former minister Pawan Kumar Gupta is fighting to retain the traditional Udhampur West seat that his family has won three times in nine elections, party candidate and former MLA R S Pathania is facing rebellion from Pawan Khajuria and Balwan Singh as independents to win the new Udhampur East seat.
The Chenani constituency has become a hotbed of family rivalry, with cousins Balwant Singh Mankotia, a two-time former MLA and BJP candidate, and Harshdev Singh, a prominent JKNPP leader and three-time MLA from Ramnagar, vying for the seat.
In Udhampur West, Gupta is facing a two-front battle against Congress nominee Sumeet Magotra and independent candidate Jasvir Singh, a District Development Council (DDC) member from Panchari.
Locals said it is a tough battle for Gupta to retain the seat.
"Though he has a direct contest with the Congress candidate, Jasvir Singh may split votes, making Gupta's path more difficult," said Sumesh Kumar, a local voter.
Both Gupta and Magotra are engaging in aggressive door-to-door campaigns, holding public rallies and corner meetings to sway voters.
For BJP candidates, senior leaders like Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, and Jitendra Singh have campaigned in the district. On the other hand, Sachin Pilot and other senior Congress leaders have addressed rallies in support of their party’s nominees.
"We will win this seat and others in the district. We secured three seats last time, and this time, we aim to win all four, including the newly carved-out seat. Our goal is to form a government that represents the people of Jammu region," Gupta said.
Congress' Magotra countered, "People are fed up with the BJP and their governance from New Delhi. They want change and are backing the Congress. This time, an alliance government will be formed in Jammu and Kashmir." The Congress is fighting the J&K Assembly elections in alliance with the National Conference.
The Congress has won Udhampur West three times, while the JKNPP twice. For the BJP, this election is a litmus test.
Cleaning of Devika River, a longstanding issue, remains a main concern for voters. "Many promises were made about cleaning the river...now we want to see action, not just words," said Suresh Kumar, a local resident.
A total of 1,15,655 voters, including 55,929 females, will decide the fate of 12 candidates in Udhampur West which has 184 polling stations.
In Udhampur East, the rebellion in the BJP has added new excitement to the race. Pawan Khajuria, who finished third in the last election as BJP candidate, is running as an independent after being denied a ticket.
"The rebellion within BJP is a significant challenge for Pathania," said Vikas Kumar, a political observer.
Pathania, a former MLA from Ramnagar, is contesting Udhampur East after Ramnagar was reserved for SC candidates. Majalta Tehsil, a region with historical ties to JKNPP, has now been included in Udhampur East making the voter demography interesting.
"Former Block Development Council chairman Balwan Singh, unhappy with BJP's decision, has joined Panthers Party India and is contesting as well. National Conference’s Sunil Verma and PDP’s Bakeel Singh are making the contest tougher," Vikas Kumar said.
Both Pathania and rebel candidate Khajuria are showcasing their strength by drawing large crowds.
"I have spent decades with the party but was denied ticket. People are upset with the decision, and they are fully backing me for the MLA post," Khajuria said.
Pathania, however, remains confident, banking on the "Modi factor" to secure victory.
In Udhampur East, nine candidates, including Pathania and Khajuria, will vie for the 1,00,690 votes, including 48,079 of females, at 157 polling stations.
In Chenani, the rivalry between cousins Balwant Singh Mankotia (BJP) and Harshdev Singh (JKNPP) has captured the attention of voters.
Harshdev Singh, supported by Congress and NC, said the people are fed up with the BJP rule. "We will win this seat, the people want a change," he said.
Mankotia, however, is confident of victory, citing strong support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's development agenda. "People want a BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir. They have decided to vote for the BJP."
A total of 1,09,174 voters will decide the fate of nine candidates at 155 polling stations in Chenani, which has seen Congress victory five times and BJP twice, and NC and JKNPP once each. An independent candidate has also won the seat once.
In Ramnagar, the SC-reserved seat, has shifted political dynamics. BJP's Sunil Bhardwaj, Congress’ Mool Raj, and Panthers Party India’s Arshi Devi are locked in a triangular contest.
The seat, dominated by Panthers Party, will see 96,779 voters cast their ballots at 158 polling stations.
All four seats in Udhampur district will go to polls on October 1 in the third and last phase of J&K Assembly elections.