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| Low key campaign ends, Srinagar awaits polling | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, May 5: The relative low key canvassing for prestigious Srinagar-Budgam constituency in the ongoing parliamentary elections ended on Tuesday evening as candidates made a determined last minute effort to woo voters in their favour.
Spread over three districts, the parliamentary constituency is going for ballots in the penultimate round of the staggered five phased polls calendar on May 07.
Reports said that even though the campaigning saw many political big-wings canvassing either for party candidate or party supported candidate, the electioneering remained a low key affair with politicians relying on pocket campaigning rather than organizing big rallies.
In-fact, the politicians choose mass media promotion through hoardings, radio and newspaper advertisements besides issued statements, that were carried in large section of the press.
Although there are fifteen candidates in fray for one of the six Lok Sabha seats in the state, the real contest is likely between two wealthier and old stalwarts of Kashmir politics. National Conference president Farooq Abdullah is pitted against Iftikhar Hussain Ansari of People’s Democratic Party in the battle for supremacy.
Political pundits believe that there was no possibility of any surprise and any one of them could emerge victorious with senior Abdullah slightly favorite at this juncture.
Interestingly, the migrant voters can make a difference in the Srinagar Parliamentary constituency and Sonawar Assembly by-election, where polling was being held on May 7 in the fourth phase.
The Srinagar Parliamentary constituency, spread over 15 assembly segments in three districts of Srinagar, Badgam and Ganderbal has about 60,000 migrant voters.
As far Iftikhar Ansari he is considered as an old stalwart, but his previous encounter with National Conference has not been something that he would like to remember.
According to sources way back in 1977, Ansari who was an independent among five candidates in fray then, lost to Begum Akhbar Jahan, mother of Farooq Abdullah by a whopping 122641 votes. In the elections that followed, Senior Abdullah was declared winner uncontested in 1980.
The constituency has been a strong hold of National Conference since the first elections in 1967 as the party won it on most instances. The constituency has been represent by the Sheikh Abdullah, the founder of NC, on three instances with Abdullah’s wife Begum Akbar Jahan winning in 1977 while her son Farooq Abdullah won the seat in mid-term polls in 1980.
The Srinagar-Budgam constituency was also represented by incumbent Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in 1998, 1999 and 2004.
In 1967 elections, the constituency was represented by Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad of NC while as in 1971 midterm polls; the constituency was represented by Shamim Ahmad Shamim as independent candidate. In 1984, the constituency was represented by Abdul Rashid Kabuli of NC. In 1989 General Election, Srinagar Lok Sabha seat was won uncontested by Mohammad Shafi Bhat of NC. The seat went to congress for the first time when Ghulam Mohammed Mir in 1996.
In fray is also the sister of Farooq Abdullah, Begum Khalida Shah of Awami National Conference but her chance of winning look bleak after the dismal performance of the party in last years assembly elections. The ANC could not win a single seat despite trying luck from as many as 56 assembly segments.
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