JAMMU,OCT 06:The polls are scheduled to begin from October 8. The upcoming urban local body and municipal polls in Jammu and Kashmir will see a direct contest between the BJP and the Congress, with major regional political parties — the NC and the PDP — boycotting the election. The National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have boycotted the elections over the legal challenge to the Constitution’s Article 35A the Supreme Court.The Article accords special rights and privileges to the state’s citizens and bars people from outside Jammu and Kashmir from acquiring any immovable property in the state.As many as 3,372 candidates have filed their nominations for the four-phased urban local body (ULB) and municipal elections, out of which 192 candidates were elected unopposed, and 2,688 are in fray till the third phase of the polls. Friday is the last day of withdrawal of nomination. There are 8, 16,97,291 voters in the 1,145 wards of the state.As many as 982 candidates have filed their nomination and 179 were declared elected uncontested from the Kashmir region. The Congress and the BJP, the candidates of which are in the thick of campaigning, particularly in the Jammu region, said the contest would be a direct one between the two national parties. “It is a direct contest between the BJP and us as the NC and the PDP have kept away from the democratic exercise. Our candidates are campaigning and we are hopeful of a majority victory,” state president of Congress Ghulam Ahmed Mir told PTI. Mir said the Congress had fielded over 440 candidates in the polls and over 100 of then were declared elected uncontested.BJP general secretary (Organisation), Ashok Koul said it is a direct contest between the two national parties as the NC and the PDP are boycotting the polls. “We have field over 850 candidates and several of our candidates have won uncontested, mostly in Kashmir,” Koul said.The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) has fielded candidates in all 75 wards of the Jammu Municipal Corporation for the polls.Harsh Dev Singh, chairman, JKNPP, said they will fight against the BJP and the Congress, and expose their failures.He accused the two national parties of “marginalising” the Jammu region.Campaigning, including door-to-door campaign, ward meetings and road shows, has picked up pace in state’s the Jammu region, particularly in Jammu, as the first phase of the polls is scheduled from October 8.
J&K ULB polls: It’s Congress versus BJP.
