Historic J&K First Phase Polls
News Kashmir Analysis
The historic Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are around the corner. These are first major elections after abrogation of article 370 on August 5, 2019. These elections are going to be quite unique ,interesting and historic.
All major political parties are fighting with full might. Iltija Mufti, Daughter of PDP head and former CM Mehbooba Mufti , Former NC MP Hasnain Masoodi and Dr Harbaksh Singh of AIP are prominent candidates in Kashmir in fray for the first phase.
political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir has undergone significant changes since the BJP withdrew its support from the PDP-led government in 2018. The removal of Article 370 in 2019, followed by the delimitation, has not only redrawn boundaries and added seats but also set the stage for the upcoming 2024 election, where every party is recalibrating its strategy.
Of the total 219 candidates contesting the first phase of the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, scheduled for September 18, a striking 50 per cent have declared assets exceeding Rs 1 crore, a report compiled by the Association of Democratic Reform (ADR) said on Friday.
The average assets of the phase one candidates stood at Rs 3 crore. There are a total 13 candidates with at least Rs 10 crore worth of assets.
Out of 219 candidates, only nine are women, which makes up just 4 percent of the total.
Mehbooba Mufti-led Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has the highest crorepatis: 18 out of 21. The richest candidate in the first phase also belongs to PDP: Abdul Gaffar Sofi, contesting from Anantnag West. In his election affidavit, Sofi declared assets worth over Rs 66 crore. He is followed by PDP’s Imtiaz Ahmed Shan with more than Rs 34 crore in assets.
2014, the election ended with a hung assembly. The PDP won 28 seats, the BJP grabbed 25, the JKNC took 15, and the Congress managed 12. Independents and smaller parties shared seven seats. The BJP and the PDP claimed nearly half the votes, but the close result reflected deep political divisions. The vote share of 2014 told a similar story of division. The BJP garnered 23 per cent of the votes, while the PDP secured 22.7 per cent. The JKNC came in with 20.8 per cent, and the Congress followed with 18 per cent.
Undoubtedly , the Assembly elections in 2024 September are going to go one of the historic epochs.
