The campaigning for the second phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections ended on Monday with an eye on September 25 when the decisive vote will take place. This phase comprises 26 constituencies in six districts in the region where main players are Omar Abdullah, the former Chief Minister and BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir president, Ravinder Raina.
Pristine campaigning has characterized the election with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi leading Srinagar and Poonch rallies. This is the first assembly election since the removal of Article 370 and the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories last year.
The second phase will also determine the fate of 239 candidates. Some of the important constituencies identified by it are Nowshera, Central-Shalteng, Ganderbal and Budhal constituencies. Prominent personalities in the fray are Ghulam Mohammad Mir of the Congress, Tariq Hamid Karra of the Congress, Ravinder Raina of Apni Party, and Altaf Bukhari of the Apni Party.
Voting starts at 7.AM Wednesday with 3,502 voting centers established across the region. In this phase, 25.78 lakh voter’s right to franchise has been recognized. The first phase held on September 18 helped 61.38% of the voters cast their vote. The third and final phase will occur on October 1.
Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has campaigned in Srinagar and Katra, while Home Minister Mr. Amit Shah has campaigned in border districts including Poonch and Rajouri. The Congress’s campaign had its president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi with the two leading marches in Surankote and Central-Shalteng to mark the end of the intense campaigning process.
(With inputs from PTI)
