Ishtiyaq Kar
Srinagar, Apr 22 (KNS): With the final hours ticking away before the campaigning for the Jammu-Reasi seat concludes in the evening of April 24, the political landscape in the Jammu division intensifies as it prepares for a monumental showdown.
All eyes are on the impending clash between the heavyweight contenders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress party, as they gear up for what promises to be a fiercely contested electoral battle.
The political observers are of the opinion that the Jammu-Reasi Parliamentary constituency braces itself for a gripping electoral battle between the incumbent Member of Parliament from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Jugal Kishore Sharma, and Raman Bhalla, the working president of Jammu and Kashmir Congress.
However, the electoral landscape is far from monochromatic, with a diverse array of other candidates, including 12 Independents, vying ardently for victory.
News agency KNS reported that in the bustling streets of Jammu, campaigning has reached a fever pitch, with candidates and their enthusiastic supporters leaving no stone unturned to sway the electorate in their favor.
Notable figures such as Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who addressed a rally at Paloura on April 16, and Union Minister Anurag Thakur, who accompanied Sharma during the latter's nomination filing on March 30, have lent their weight to the electoral fray, intensifying the stakes of the contest.
Sharma, a seasoned politician nominated by the BJP in its inaugural list of 195 candidates, seeks to cement his legacy with a third consecutive term from the Jammu seat.
Having clinched victories in both the 2014 and 2019 general elections, Sharma faces a formidable adversary in Raman Bhalla.
Bhalla, a stalwart with a political career, having served as a two-time MLA from the Gandhi Nagar seat and as a former Cabinet Minister in the NC-Congress Government led by Omar Abdullah, poses a substantial challenge to Sharma's hegemony in the constituency.
While the spotlight may shine brightly on Sharma and Bhalla, other contenders have also carved their niche in the electoral arena.
According to reports the Jammu-Reasi Parliamentary seat, comprising 18 Assembly segments, assumes paramount significance with a staggering 17.81 lakh voters poised to determine the fate of the 22 candidates.
The constituency, characterized by its diverse demographic and geographical tapestry, showcases Jammu district as the electoral powerhouse, boasting a significant electorate of 11,90,099 votes, followed by Samba and Reasi districts with 2,59,198 and 2,35,262 electorates, respectively.
Historically, the Jammu-Reasi Parliamentary seat has been witness to a vibrant political spectrum, with Congress emerging victorious on nine occasions, BJP securing victories four times, and National Conference and Independent candidates clinching victory once each since its inception in 1967.
Against the backdrop of recent delimitation exercises, which have redefined the electoral contours, the constituency now encompasses the districts of Jammu, Samba, and Reasi, marking a significant departure from its erstwhile avatar as the Jammu-Poonch seat.
As campaigning hurtles towards its climax on April 24, the electorate braces itself for a pivotal electoral showdown, where issues of development, governance, and regional aspirations are expected to take center stage, defining the contours of the political discourse as voters prepare to exercise their democratic prerogative on April 26.(KNS)