The clash of titans waits on J&K’s new political chessboard

Srinagar, Aug 19: As the date for the Assembly elections has been announced, the political landscape in Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing heightened activity.

The focus is particularly on Srinagar, a district that plays a pivotal role with its eight assembly constituencies.

Historically, Srinagar has been a battleground for major political parties like the National Conference (NC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in the Kashmir region, both of which have shared significant influence here.

The final electoral rolls, expected to be released by Tuesday, indicate that Srinagar's eight assembly constituencies have a total of 7.5 lakh registered voters.

Of these, 3.73 lakh are male voters, while 3.72 lakh are female voters.

The Srinagar district will vote on September 25.

It is the first time, Assembly elections will be held in J&K post abrogation of Article 370.

The district's political dynamics have shifted slightly due to the recent delimitation exercise.

Notably, the Central Shalteng constituency has emerged, replacing the erstwhile Batmaloo, while the Sonwar constituency has been replaced by the newly-formed Chanapora constituency.

Each of these constituencies has its unique political significance.

The Hazratbal constituency, home to over 1 lakh voters, was last won by PDP's Asiea Naqash in the 2014 elections.

Khanyar Assembly seat, a known stronghold of the National Conference, saw Ali Muhammad Sagar emerge victorious in the previous polls.

In Habba Kadal, which includes a significant number of migrant voters, NC's Shamima Firdous claimed victory.

The Zadibal constituency was won by PDP's Abid Ansari, who has since joined the People's Conference.

Eidgah, another key constituency, was represented by Mubarak Gul of the National Conference.

The Batamaloo seat, previously held by Noor Muhammad, and the Sonwar seat, won by Muhammad Ashraf Mir, have also been central to the political discourse in the district.

Mir, who contested the parliamentary elections in May, secured the third-highest number of votes.

Lastly, Amira Kadal, which was won by Muhammad Altaf Bukhari in 2014 when he was part of the PDP, has seen a shift with Bukhari now leading his own party, Apni Party.

As election day approaches, all eyes will be on these key constituencies in Srinagar.

The strategies and last-minute planning by political parties will determine who gains the upper hand in this crucial district, which is set to play a significant role in the overall electoral outcome in Jammu and Kashmir.

As the final electoral rolls are set to be published, political parties are fine-tuning their strategies. With the delimitation creating new constituencies and altering the landscape, candidates will need to build fresh connections with voters.

The competition is expected to be fierce.

The upcoming elections will not only test the established dominance of the NC and PDP but also provide a platform for new political forces like the Apni Party and the People’s Conference to assert themselves in Srinagar's political arena.

As the election date approaches, all eyes will be on Srinagar, where the battle for the eight assembly seats is expected to be one of the most closely watched contests in J&K.

In J&K, the much-awaited assembly election will be held in three phases where the process of nominations starts on the August 20 while the results will be declared on October 4

The Jammu and Kashmir assembly has 90 seats.

In the first phase, voting for the 24 seats in districts of Pulwama, Anantnag, Shopian, Kulgam, Ramban, Kishtwar, and Doda would be held on September18.

Another 26 seats of Ganderbal, Srinagar, Budgam, Poonch, Reasi and Rajouri districts will vote in the second phase on September 25.

The final phase, on October 1, would see voting in 40 seats of Bandipora, Kupwara, Baramulla, Udhampur, Jammu, Samba, and Kathua districts.

All political parties including BJP, Congress, NC, PDP, Apni Party, Democratic Progressive Azad Party, and CPI (M) have welcomed the announcement of the assembly poll schedule.