JAMMU: With the Assembly elections for eight seats in the Doda region fast approaching, the final hours of campaigning are underway. The region, set to vote in the first phase on September 18, is witnessing intense last-minute efforts from candidates to sway voters.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been notably proactive in its campaign, with several senior leaders making high-profile visits. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in Doda yesterday, supporting all eight BJP candidates. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to address three rallies in the region tomorrow, covering Paddar-Nagseni, Kishtwar, and Ramban.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has already conducted two rallies in Ramban and Banihal. Additional campaigning support from Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr. Jitendra Singh, who represents Doda in the Lok Sabha, and BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh has also been significant. Former Union Minister and Himachal Pradesh MP Anurag Thakur has also been active in rallying for BJP candidates.
In contrast, the Congress campaign has been relatively subdued. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi addressed a single rally in Gool, part of the Banihal Assembly segment. No other senior Congress leaders have visited the Doda region.
The National Conference (NC) has seen limited involvement from its leadership. Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has campaigned in the region, but party president Dr. Farooq Abdullah has not visited any of the eight constituencies. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has also been absent from the campaign trail in Doda despite fielding candidates.
Polling Schedule and Candidate Overview
Campaigning for the eight Doda seats will conclude tomorrow evening, although candidates can still engage in door-to-door canvassing. Polling is scheduled for September 18, with results for all 90 seats in the Union Territory to be counted on October 4.
The eight constituencies in focus are Kishtwar, Paddar-Nagseni, and Inderwal in Kishtwar district; Doda, Doda West, and Bhaderwah in Doda district; and Ramban and Banihal in Ramban district.
Historical Context and Current Contestants
In the 2014 elections, the BJP secured four out of six Assembly seats in the Doda region, with victories in Kishtwar, Bhaderwah, Doda, and Ramban. The Congress won Banihal and Inderwal, while the NC and PDP did not win any seats.
For the upcoming elections, the following notable candidates are in the fray:
- Kishtwar: Sajjad Kitchloo (NC), Shagun Parihar (BJP), and Firdous Tak (PDP).
- Paddar-Nagseni: A direct contest is anticipated between Sunil Sharma (BJP) and Pooja Thakur (NC), with Sandesh Kumar (PDP) also in the mix. Rakesh Goswami, a BJP rebel, is also running.
- Inderwal: Ghulam Mohammad Saroori is running as an Independent after being denied the DPAP mandate. His opponents include Sheikh Zafarullah (Congress), Tariq Hussain Keen (BJP), Nasir Ahmed Sheikh (PDP), and Pyare Lal Sharma (NC rebel).
- Bhaderwah: The contest features 2014 BJP MLA Daleep Singh Parihar, Nadeem Sharief (Congress), Sheikh Mehboob Iqbal (NC), Vikram Rathore (Jammu Kashmir Apni Party), and Meenakshi Bhagat (BSP).
- Doda West: Shakti Raj Parihar (BJP) faces competition from Pardeep Kumar (Congress), Tanveer Hussain (PDP), and Abdul Ghani (DPAP).
- Doda: The race includes Khalid Najib Suhrawardhy (NC), Abdul Mujeed Wani (DPAP), Gajay Singh Rana (BJP), Riaz Ahmed (Congress), and PDP candidates.
- Ramban: The main contenders are Rakesh Singh Thakur (BJP), Arjun Singh Raju (NC), and Suraj Singh Parihar, an Independent BJP rebel.
- Banihal: Vikar Rasool Wani (Congress), Sajjad Shaheen (NC), Mohammad Saleem Bhat (BJP), and Imtiyaz Shan (PDP) are the prominent candidates.
With the end of official campaigning in sight, all eyes are now on the voters of Doda as they prepare to make their choices in the upcoming elections.