Langate Assembly constituency set for intense political showdown

Kupwara, Sep 27: Langate assembly constituency in Kupwara is bracing for an intense political showdown.

Member of Parliament (MP) and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP)  Chief Er Rashid managed to secure over 40,000 thousand votes in the recent parliament election from Langate but it would be interesting to see whether his party retains this seat on October 8 when results would be announced.

On October 1, a total of 120,221 voters including 60,056 men, 60,152 women, and three transgender individuals  have the voting rights.  One hundred and forty three polling stations have been  set up in different parts of Langate.

Er Rashid has represented people of Langate twice in Legislative Assembly but this time his younger brother who after opting for voluntary retirement as government teacher is contesting assembly election. He is locking horns with the Peoples Conference (PC) leader and incumbent District Development Council (DDC) Chairman Kupwara Irfan Panditpori. According to political observers, this is not a two-horse race anymore as Jammu and Kashmir Workers Party President Mir Junaid, NC-Congress joint candidate Irshad Ganie, Apni Party’s Munawar Khawja and banned Jamaat-e-Islami backed independent candidate Dr Kalim Ullah are contesting this election from Langate.

With the entry of new faces like Mir Junaid, Irshad Ganie and Dr Kalim Ullah, the battle has turned interesting as all these candidates have got considerable public support thus giving tough nights to Awami Ittehad Party and Peoples Conference.

Langate once used to be strong hold of National Conference but after Er Rashid won in 2008, most of the NC workers joined hands with Awami Ittehad Party with the result NC lost support on ground. However, the NC circles believe  that the  recent delimitation turned blissful for their party.

Langate constituency has been represented by National Conference MLAs five times in past. In 1977 NC's Mohammad Sultan Ganie (Panditpori) represented Langate in Legislative Assembly and later Abdul Ahad Wani of Manzpora Qalamabad was trusted upon by NC top leadership with the result he was given mandate to represent Langate. Wani not only won in 1983 but he went on to register hat-trick by winning in 1987 and 1996. After the assassination of Abdul Ahad Wani, Mohammad Sultan Panditpori won in 1999 in by polls on PDP's ticket. In 2002 National Conference senior leader Sharifuddin Shariq registered his win, following which Engineer Rashid has represented Langate in 2008 and 2014.

Er Rashid who would talk against dynasty politics ended up giving mandate to his own brother to contest assembly election from Langate and according to political observers, this move can turn nightmarish for Awami Ittehad Party as his own workers are upset with the decision.

With the entry of Mir Junaid, the battle has turned interesting as he was also getting good public support, further Irshad Ganie can not be kept aside from race keeping in view his growing support.

It would be interesting to see on which way the camel sits on October 8 after the results would be announced.