Campaigning for the fourth phase of polling in In Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand came to an end today. In J&K, polling in 18 assembly constituencies spread over four districts viz Srinagar, Anantnag, Shopian and Samba will be held on December 14. J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, his three cabinet colleagues Ali Mohamamd Sagar, Peerzada Mohamamd Sayeed , Ghulam Ahmed Mir and Speaker Legislative Assembly Mubarak Gul and Peoples Democratic Party patron Mufti Mohamamd Sayeed are among the 182 candidates in the fray.
More than 14.73 lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes for eight assembly seats in Srinagar district , six assembly segments in Anantnag district, two in Shopian district of Kashmir Valley and two Assembly constituencies of Samba district of Jammu Division. A total of 1,890 polling stations have been set up for the electorate in the four districts going to polls in the fourth phase.
AIR Srinagar Correspondent reports that Security arrangements in all the three districts of Kashmir valley and Samba district of Jammu Division which is close to international border have been strengthened in view of the last Friday's deadly attacks across Kashmir valley and earlier in Arnia sector of Jammu Division. Leaders of various political parties are levelling allegations and counter allegations against one another in a bid to woo voters.
Senior BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi , Amit Shah, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi during their election rallies accused the previous regimes of having neglected the development aspect of J&K State and having swindled the central funds meant for development. On the other hand senior Congress leaders and former J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad while attacking BJP over Article 370 accused it of betraying the people of Jammu region and patronising militant outfits in the valley for electoral gains .
National Conference working president and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is seeking votes on the issue of safeguarding and strengthening Article 370 of the Indian Constitution and in all his election rallies has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not helping the flood affected people of J&K State. Peoples Democratic Party is wooing the electorate by reiterating to purse ‘self-rule’ and rebuilding state’s shattered economy.
In Jharkhand, political parties like the BJP, JMM, Congress, JVM and Left Parties and independent candidates are doing their last efforts to push their campaign. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh addressed a rally at Navadih under Giridih district while another Union Minister Uma Bharti also addressed rallies for BJP after arriving Dhanbad today. The BJP is trying to improve it’s position in Santhal Pargana region from the last assembly election, whereas the JMM is keen to hold it’s political fortress. Various Congress leaders like, Subodh Kant Sahay and Sukhdev Bhagat and JVM Chief Babu Lal Marandi is also campaigning.
