In final push, Shah, Omar hold rallies on last day of J&K Ph-I campaign

The campaigning for the first phase of the Assembly elections, which witnessed many twists and aggressive campaigning by parties, ended on Monday evening. All eyes are now set on Wednesday’s polling.

Will bury terror

For once, defeat three families (Abdullahs, Gandhis, Muftis), and I promise terrorism will be buried so deep it won’t surface again. —Amit Shah in Kishtwar

Two days before the UT’s 24 seats — 16 in Kashmir, eight in Jammu region — the parties on Monday made a final pitch to woo voters across South Kashmir districts, and in the Jammu region.

The campaign got electrified after the entry of Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid, who walked out of jail last week after he was granted interim bail, giving his faceless organisation, Awami Ittehad Party, the much-needed boost. Rashid has been holding rallies and roadshows across South Kashmir, drawing people and changing the poll dynamics in the Valley. The PDP and the NC continue to accuse Rashid of being the BJP’s proxy, a charge he vehemently denies.

The first phase has witnessed the disappearance of bonhomie between archrivals NC and PDP. The parties had come on a common platform following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, but with elections round the corner, leaders of both parties sharpened their attack on one another.

In another twist, banned by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2019, Jamaat-e-Islami is contesting for the first time in over 35 years. Four Independent candidates, backed by the Jamaat, held a major rally in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district — a first such rally by the outfit in favour of Independent candidates.

Last week, banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI) and AIP announced a “strategic alliance” to “champion the cause of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.” As per the election authorities, at least 219 candidates are in the fray in phase 1 in J&K. The highest 14 candidates are in the fray in the Pampore Assembly segment and the lowest three at Srigufwara-Bijbehara AC.

A total of 279 candidates had filed their nomination papers, but 25 candidates backed out.