SRINAGAR: The National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, who is seeking re-election from Srinagar, is the front runner for the prestigious seat while senior BJP leader and Union MoS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh is facing heat from Vikramaditya Singh, who is the Congress candidate and grandson of late Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh, from the Udhampur seat. Both the seats would go to polls in the second phase on April 18.
Twelve candidates, including Abdullah, Irfan Ansari of the Peoples Conference, Aga Syed Mohsin of PDP and Khalid Jehangir of the BJP, are in fray in Srinagar, which is spread over three central Kashmir districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal.
Unlike 2014 poll, when Abdullah faced anti-NC wave and lost to PDP’s Tariq Hamid Karra by over 42,000 votes, this time he is not facing any opposition. Karra, however, resigned from PDP and LS seat in September 2016 and has since joined the Congress.
The defeat in 2014 was Abdullah’s first and only electoral loss in his political career.
Irfan Ansari, a businessman, is a novice. He belongs to an influential Shia family and banks on Shia votes. The PDP has also fielded Shia candidate Aga Mohsin, who is also expected to cut Shia votes.
The BJP has fielded its spokesman Khalid Jehangir from the seat. A former journalist, Jehangir, who is also contesting his maiden election, is not going to pose any challenge to Abdullah.
To add to Abdullah’s advantage, Congress has not fielded a candidate against him from the seat as per seat sharing arrangement between the two.
Political analyst Aadil Ahmed said Abdullah is the frontrunner for the seat. “His rivals of PDP and PC have the baggage of recent alliances with BJP”. The main thrust of electioneering in Valley has been on Article 370 and Article 35A.