Pulwama, Aug 31 (KNO): As the first phase of the assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir draws near, the Pulwama assembly segment in south Kashmir is set to witness a closely contested race. This seat is expected to see a tight battle between the National Conference's (NC) Mohammad Khalil Bhand, who has previously won this seat three times on a People's Democratic Party ticket, and Waheed Para, the youth leader of the PDP.
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Bhand, a former minister in both PDP-led governments, secured the Pulwama seat in 2002, 2008, and 2014. However, he recently switched allegiance to the NC, and it remains to be seen how this move will affect his chances of winning.
Political analysts said that Bhand's work during his first tenure as Roads and Buildings (R&B) Minister in the 2002-2008 PDP-Congress government helped him maintain a stronghold on the seat. However, his performance from 2008-2014, when he was in opposition, and after 2014, was perceived as less effective, especially with several infrastructure projects left incomplete.
They said that during his third term as MLA, Khalil experienced internal conflicts within the PDP. Although initially given charge of the Agriculture Department, he was not appointed to a ministerial position, which led to disagreements, and he eventually shifted to the NC after the government collapsed.
The PDP has nominated Waheed Para, who garnered huge support in the parliamentary elections for the Srinagar seat, with around 200,000 votes. Para received leads in both the Pulwama and Rajpora assembly segments during those elections and is anticipated to provide a strong challenge to Bhand in the upcoming contest.
Notably, after delimitation, Para's native area, previously part of the Rajpora constituency, has now been included in the Pulwama constituency, while Litter Tehsil, where Bhand traditionally had a strong voter base, has moved to Rajpora.
Both Bhand and Para have been actively campaigning to attract voters, and political analysts suggest that Syed Bari Andrabi, the District Development Council (DDC) Chairperson of Pulwama who recently resigned from the PDP, could play a decisive role in the election. Andrabi's endorsement could influence around 1,000 to 2,000 votes and impact the election outcome.
Talat Majeed Wani, a former member of Jamaat-e-Islami who is contesting as an independent after being associated with the Apni Party, might also attract a substantial number of votes that could sway the results, analysts believe.
Historically, the Pulwama seat has seen various representatives, including Master Sanaullah Sheikh in 1962, Sonaullah Dar of Congress in 1967 and 1972, Mohammad Ibrahim Dar of NC in 1977 and 1983, and Bashir Ahmad Nengro of NC in 1987 and 1996. Since then, Khalil Bhand has held the seat for the PDP.
The Pulwama Assembly segment, AC 34, consists of 99,555 voters, including 49,423 males, 50,130 females, and 2 transgender individuals. To ensure a smooth electoral process, 112 polling stations have been designated for this constituency—(KNO)