Beerwah: Beerwah assembly segment of north Kashmir where from chief minister Omar Abdullah is testing his luck Tuesday witnessed brisk polling.
People in long queues were seen waiting to cast their votes outside the polling booths.
The constituency witnessed scores of the first time voters who said that voting has become a compulsion to end the dark times in the Valley. What will happen if we would not vote or reject our votes? The government will be formed and state will run but as we are voting, we have resolved to end the times that have perturbed us and have made our future bleak.
Repors also informed that the anti incumbency wave dominated the assembly segment with people pledging to the register new change in their lives for better. Talking to KNS, the people outside the polling booths said that from the past six years, their area has not witnessed growth in any means and that no measures were taken to address the basic issues pertaining to the inhabitants at large.
Over the contest of Omar from Beerwah, people gave mixed response. While some reposed faith in Omar saying he has promised to deliver on ground, others termed him an outsider, saying local is preferred as their representative in the legislative assembly.
The NC while fielding Omar from Beerwah claims that the party continues to have strong roots in the area and that since 1967, the party has won six elections out of ten. Also the conversion of Tosamaidan firing range into a tourist spot is also seen by many as an attempt by the chief minister to lure the major portion of Beerwah constituency. The issue of the firing range and the protests by the locals and separatist camp brought Tosamaidan into limelight.
Omar in his last official tour before the announcement of polls declared Tosamaidan as a firing free range with the declaration that the place has been thrown open for general public and shall be developed as the tourist spot.
In 2008 out of total 83950 voters 47992 votes were polled in constituencys 111 polling stations constituting total 57.17 percent polling percentage in the constituency. Out of 47992 polled votes PDPs Dr Shafi secured total 11720 votes and won by 164 votes defeating NC’s Abdul Majeed Matoo a local candidate who had got 11556. In 1996, 1987, 1983 and 1977 the constituency remained that bastion of national conference. Syed Ali Geelani contested polls in 1977 against Ahmad Saeed of national conference. Ahmad Saeed won the elections securing 14918 votes. In 1967 and 1972, the seat was controlled by the Congresss A. Quddus and respectively. For both the times, the seat was won by the Congress with no one contesting from the opposite camp.
In 2002 assembly elections, the seat was won by late Sarfaraz Khan of the PDP first time with the party candidate Mohammad Sarfraz Khan getting 16886 against NCs Mohammad Amin Banday who secured 4966.
There are 92848 voters in Beerwah assembly segment and ground reports suggest that the people of this assembly turf will vote on the basis of performance rather sympathy. This assembly segment is scheduled to go for polls in the 2nd phase of elections on December 9, this year.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
ACT NOW |
MONTHLY | Rs 100 | |
YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |