Candidates working hard to attract more voters in one of J&K’s largest constituencies
Anantnag: The Anantnag West assembly seat, one of the largest constituencies in Jammu & Kashmir in terms of population and area, is set for an intense triangular contest in the upcoming election, with candidates working hard to attract more voters.The key contenders are National Conference’s Abdul Majeed Bhat Larmi, People’s Democratic Party’s Abdul Gaffar Sofi and Democratic Progressive Azad Party’s Bilal Ahmad Deva.Political analysts believe the main contest is between NC’s Larmi and PDP’s Sofi, but Bilal Deva, being the only candidate from the Qazigund hamlet, could turn the tables.Anantnag West was formed after the recent delimitation process when parts of the old Homeshalibugh, Devsar, Anantnag and Dooru seats were merged. The constituency’s boundaries extend from Turk Tachloo, Khundur, Dialgam, Qazigund and other parts.As this constituency is new, none of the candidates have represented it before, making the contest more unpredictable. However, parts of Homeshalibugh give an edge to both Larmi and Sofi, who have previously represented the area.Abdul Majeed Bhat LarmiAb Majeed Larmi, born in 1961 in the village of Larm Ganjipora, comes from a politically connected family. His grandfather, Abdul Kabeer Bhat, was a key leader of the Muslim Conference in 1931. Larmi began his political journey in 1988 when he was appointed youth president for Kulgam and Anantnag districts by the National Conference.In 2008, NC gave him the mandate to contest the Homeshalibugh constituency. He lost to PDP’s Gaffar Sofi by nearly 1,800 votes but won in 2014 by around 1,600 votes.Abdul Gaffar SofiBorn in 1951 in Sofigund Wanpoo, Sofi completed his graduation in the early ’70s and entered politics. He fought his first election on a Congress ticket in 1996 but lost. In 1999, he joined PDP and became one of its founding members. He won the Homeshalibugh seat in 2002 and 2008, serving as Health and Medical Education Minister. However, he lost in 2014.Analysts believe the experience of both Sofi and Larmi will make this a close contest. Both have represented the constituency for a long time, keeping their party workers intact.Bilal Ahmad DevaBilal Ahmad Deva, a grassroots worker, began his political career as a sarpanch and later became a DDC member. He is the only contesting candidate from the Qazigund area, which could give him a significant share of votes, making him a strong contender.Historically, the seat was represented by Abdul Salam Deva of NC in 1977 and 1983, Ghulam Nabi (an independent) in 1987, Gul Mohammad Rafique of NC in 1996, Abdul Gaffar Sofi of PDP in 2002 and 2008 and Ab Majeed Bhat Larmi of NC in 2014.Anantnag West has 1,26,006 voters (63,281 males, 62,724 females, and 1 transgender) with 146 polling stations (25 urban and 121 rural)—(KNO)
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