Absense of NC, PDP may consolidate INDIA alliance’s votes in Udhampur Lok Sabha seat

In the electoral battleground of Udhampur, Choudhary Lal Singh’s return to the Congress fold has stirred the political cauldron, injecting new vigor into the party’s campaign.

His recent scathing attack on the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) for nominating GM Saroori over party founder Ghulam Nabi Azad has set tongues wagging, with Singh alleging a “strategic ploy aimed at fragmenting opposition votes’ rather than securing an outright victory.

Singh is squarely positioned against Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who is eyeing his third consecutive term representing the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency.

As the Udhampur parliamentary seat gears up for polling on April 19, the political landscape has become increasingly crowded, with five contenders, including former Minister Saroori, stepping into the fray.

The Congress nominees, Raman Bhalla and Choudhary Lal Singh, have wasted no time launching an aggressive campaign, crisscrossing their respective constituencies in a bid to rally support and reverse their fortunes following defeats in the 2019 parliamentary elections against BJP opponents.

Lal Singh’s re-entry into the Congress camp is seen as a strategic boon, bolstering the party’s electoral lineup with his Rajput identity and seasoned political acumen.

This strategic advantage becomes even more pronounced given the absence of major regional players like the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Conference (NC) in Jammu, a move perceived to consolidate Muslim votes and avert their fragmentation.

However, the electoral calculus in Jammu Kashmir is far from straightforward, with smaller parties like DPAP and Apni Party poised to play spoiler roles and potentially disrupt INDIA alliance’s electoral prospects.

This shifting landscape, particularly in the Udhampur constituency, which has a diverse demographic composition, including significant Muslim populations in districts like Doda, Kishtwar, and Reasi, juxtaposed against a predominantly Hindu electorate is a must watch battle.

CNI