Jammu, Apr 24: Campaigning for Jammu parliamentary constituency, all set to face a straight electoral battle between the traditional political rivals i.e., Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, ended Wednesday evening.
The constituency, having over 17.80 lakh voters, will go to polls in the second phase on April 26.
Being a very crucial constituency for BJP, which is going full throttle to reclaim this seat straight for the third time, Union Home Minister Amit Shah led the campaign to seek support for party candidate Jugal Kishore Sharma.
Though the Prime Minister Narendra Modi could not visit Jammu this time yet during his campaign trail in Udhampur, he had ensured that his talisman-impact could not escape Jammu voters.
“Bless me with the victory of Dr Jitendra Singh from Udhampur and Jugal Kishore from Jammu. Their victory will ensure a third term for Modi as the Prime Minister,” this was how the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had tried to strike an emotional chord with the electorate on April 12,
Shah maintained the momentum of the trail-blazing effect of the Prime Minister as he (Shah) addressed an electoral rally in Paloura in Jammu outskirts on April 16. On anticipated lines, he was able to create ripples across the political-scape of J&K by emphasising upon the electoral issues, earlier outlined by the Prime Minister during his Udhampur rally.
Highlight of Shah’s rally was the clear hint that BJP, though desirous of seeing lotus blooming in the Valley, would wait till the electoral tide turned in its favour and thus would not contest from any of seats in Kashmir.
“It’s going to eventually happen as BJP will earn the love and affection of people in Kashmir. We don’t believe in capturing land; we believe in winning hearts. So, we’re not in a hurry. My appeal is to the electorate in Kashmir – vote for anyone but three dynastic parties viz., Congress, National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),” Shah had built the campaign momentum on this line for the party rank and file.
Among other star campaigners of BJP, Union Minister for Information Anurag Thakur too canvassed for party candidate to stimulate workers and electorate alike.
As far as Congress was concerned, though its topmost campaigners (Gandhis) could not make it even in the second phase yet former Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot and actor-turned-politician Raj Babbar performed their job as star campaigners quite effectively, seeking vote for former minister and party candidate Raman Bhalla.
Notably, both BJP and Congress have repeated their candidates. Bhalla is a common candidate of I.N.D.I. Alliance of which both National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are constituents.
Both Jugal and Bhalla were pitted against each other in the 2019 electoral battle as well.
In 2019, Jugal had defeated Bhalla with a margin of 3,02,875 votes. In 2014, Jugal had won this seat again defeating Congress candidate Madan Lal Sharma, with a victory margin of 2.57 lakh votes.
Besides Jugal and Bhalla, there are 20 more candidates in the electoral fray, in the constituency, which is spread over 18 assembly segments in four districts including Reasi, Samba, Jammu and Rajouri.
According to the figures provided by the office of Returning Officer 5-Jammu Parliamentary Constituency, there are 17,80,835 registered voters in Jammu PC including 9,21,095 males, 8,59,712 females and 28 transgender electors. Among these 37,822 (37,025 males and 797 females) are service voters.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has set up 2416 polling stations across the constituency including 18 Green Polling Stations, 46 Pink Polling Stations and 18 PwD manned polling stations.
Reasi district with three assembly constituencies, including Gulabgarh (ST), Reasi and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, has 23,52,62 voters including 12,33,23 males, 11,19,36 females and three transgender voters. Among these 1393 are service voters (1364 male, 29 female). The ECI has set up 425 polling stations across the district including 97 vulnerable and 16 critical.
Samba district, comprising three assembly constituencies including Ramgrah (SC), Samba and Vijaypur has 2,59,198 voters, including 1,32,861 males, 1,26,336 females and one transgender voter. Among these 10,269 (10,073 males, 196 females) are service voters. The ECI has set up 365 polling stations in the district, including 72 critical.
Similarly, Jammu district, comprising 11 assembly constituencies including Bishnah (SC), Suchetgarh (SC), R S Pura-Jammu South, Bahu, Jammu East, Nagrota, Jammu West, Jammu North, Marh (SC), Akhnoor (SC) and Chhamb, has 11,89,389 electors, including 6,13,988 males, 5,75,378 females and 23 transgender voters. Among these are also 24,315 service voters (23,768 males, 547 females). The ECI has set up 1488 polling stations across the district, including 38 vulnerable and 15 critical.
Likewise, Rajouri district with only Kalakote-Sunderbani assembly constituency falling in Jammu PC, has 96,986 voters (50,923 males, 46,062 females) and one transgender voter. Among these 1845 (1820 males, 25 females) are service voters. The ECI has set up 138 polling stations in the Assembly Constituency, including 88 vulnerable and 14 critical.
The R S Pura-Jammu South assembly constituency has the highest number of 1,24,744 voters (64,687 males, 60,054 females), three transgender voters including 1592 service. The EC has set up 147 polling stations across this AC.
Similarly, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi assembly segment of Reasi district has the lowest number of 55,737 voters (29,340 males, 26,397 females including 271 service voters) and the election authorities have set up 91 polling stations across the segment.