Handwara: Epicentre of north Kashmir's electoral firestorm

Kupwara, Sep 28: In the high-stakes political theater of north Kashmir, all roads lead to Handwara, where a dramatic showdown looms ahead of the October 1 elections.

Known for its history of fierce rivalries and political intrigue, this assembly segment is all set for its most explosive contest yet. The titans of Jammu and Kashmir politics; JK National Conference (JKNC) and Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference (JKPC) are locking horns in a battle that has captivated the north. But there is a wildcard: Engineer Rashid's Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), which stunned everyone with over 19,000 votes in the recent parliamentary polls and stood on second spot. This is not just a two-horse race anymore; this three-way contest could change political landscape of Handwara.

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), Handwara has 98956 registered voters, comprising 50228 males, 48726 females and 2 transgender. A total of 1721 youth will vote for the first time as they have attained the maximum age required to cast their vote. 2300 migrant voters including 1127 males and 1173 females are supposed to franchise their electoral right. A considerable number of home voters including 91 Person with Disabilities (PwDs) and 100 senior citizens will use their democratic right to choose their representative who will represent them in the Legislative Assembly (LA).

According to the official data available 120 polling stations have been set up across the constituency which is spread over five tehsils including Drugmulla, Handwara, Tarathpora, Vilgam and Zachaldara.

Jammu and Kashmir People Conference (JKPC), Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) are the main contenders in Handwara battling for their luck.

On one side stands Sajad Gani Lone, the torchbearer of the JKPC. Opposing him is the seasoned heavyweight Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan of the NC, a four-time victor and a veteran of fierce electoral battles. But this year, the stakes are higher with fresh contenders: AIP’s Advocate Abdul Majid Banday, JKPDP’s Advocate Azad Parwaz, and BJP’s Ghulam Mohammad Mir, all adding their own fire to the contest.

Sajad Gani Lone’s father Abdul Gani Lone has represented the constituency in 1977 on Janta Party’s ticket while in the following elections in 1983, 1987 and in 1996 NC’s Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan has emerged victorious, however in 2002 Chowdhary lost to Sajad Gani Lone’s backed independent candidate Ghulam Mohudin Sofi. In 2008 Chowdhary Ramzan registered his fourth win and defeated his closest rival Ghulam Mohudin Sofi by a margin of over ten thousand votes. Peoples Conference Chairman Sajad Gani Lone contested assembly election for the first time in 2014 and registered success defeating Chowdhary Ramzan by a margin of 5424 votes.