Battleground Baramulla Lok Sabha Seat
Malik Sajid and Rameez Makhdoomi
The three Lok Sabha seats of Kashmir Valley – Anantnag, Srinagar and Baramulla – are scheduled to go to polls on April 17, April 24 and May 7 respectively. In this issue we bring you who are going to be likely stalwarts from Baramulla Lok Sabha Seat.
Profile of Baramulla Lok Sabha Seat
Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency is one of the six Lok Sabha (parliamentary) constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir state.
Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency is composed of 15 Assembly Segments Karnah (assembly constituency no.
1)Kupwara (assembly constituency no. Lolab (assembly constituency no. 3)Handwara (assembly constituency no.
4)Langate (assembly constituency no. 5) Uri (assembly constituency no. 6)Rafiabad (assembly constituency no. 7)
Sopore (assembly constituency no. 8)Gurez (assembly constituency no. 9)Bandipora (assembly constituency no. 10) Sonawari (assembly constituency no. 11)
Sangrama (assembly constituency no. 12)Baramulla (assembly constituency no. 13)
Gulmarg (assembly constituency no. 14) Pattan (assembly constituency no. 15)
A glance at the Winners from this seat :
1967: Syed Ahmed Aga, Indian National Congress,1971: Syed Ahmed Aga, Indian National Congress,1977: Abdul Ahad Vakil, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference1980: Khwaja Mubarak Shah, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, 1984: Saifuddin Soz, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference1989: Saifuddin Soz, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference1996: Ghulam Rasool Kar, Indian National Congress 1998: Saifuddin Soz, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference 1999: Abdul Rashid Shaheen, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference 2004: Abdul Rashid Shaheen, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference 2009: Sharifuddin Shariq, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference.
2014 Electoral Battle Main Heavyweights
Sharifuddin Shariq
Sharifuddin Shariq belonging to Jammu & Kashmir National Conference the Current Member Parliament from Baramulla is once again the candidate from ruling National Conference and supported by Congress .A teacher with a degree in law, he has been a veteran figure associated with National Conference from several decades and was elected for Rajya Sabha in 1980. After that he contested assembly elections a couple of times.
Positives
With 1.15 million voters in the three districts of Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara, the constituency has 15 assembly segments. Of the 15, the NC has seven legislators from this constituency in the 87-member Jammu and Kashmir assembly. And its alliance with Congress representing currently Uri Constituency can prove fruitful. Ghulam Hassan Mir State Agriculture Minister and MLA Tangmarg is also likely to support NC candidate. So by constituency logic it is clear advantage NC.
Negatives
Massive Human Rights violation in NC-Congress Regime in Baramulla Parliamentary Constituency
Anti-incumbency wave
Muzaffar Hussain Baig
PDP LOK Sabha Candidate from Baramulla Constituency Muzaffar Hussain Beigh was the only cabinet minister of the PDP who was re-elected in the 2008 assembly elections. He has also been. the former deputy chief minister of state of Jammu and Kashmir(J&K). Besides being a seasoned politician he has also been an eminent lawyer. He currently represents Baramulla Assembly Segment.
PDP hold five constituencies from Baramulla Lok Sabha Seat
Positives
In Baramulla, he is believed to be well entrenched politically.
High voter Turnout can favour him
Negatives
Lack of effective grassroots presence of PDP in several places
No alliance partners.
Engineer Rashid
With the entry of Awami Ittihaad Party President (AIP) and MLA Langate Engineer Rashid into the electoral battle of Baramulla Lok Sabha Polls the battle has become ever so interesting that it makes very difficult to make clear predictions.
Positives
Charismatic, dynamic and out of box politician
High popular ratings among masses for his crucial stands and protests on several burning issues confronting masses
Negatives
AIP representing currently just one Assembly Segment of the Baramulla Parliamentary Seat
Lack of grassroots presence at several places.
Salamuddin Bajad,
Peoples Conference Candidate Salamuddin Bajad, 62, who originally hails from Keran village in north Kashmir, will be contesting from north Kashmir for Peoples Conference party led by Sajad Gani Lone.
Mr Bajad was abducted by militants in 1992 after he unfurled the national flag inside the State-run Radio Kashmir where he served as a deputy director.
His daughter, Ruwaida Salaam, recently qualified Indian Administrative Services and is serving Jammu and Kashmir Police.
Positives
A soft spoken person
Strong influence of PC in several pockets of Kupwara
Negatives
PC Lagging grassroots presence in number of places and not even representing a single Assembly segment of the Baramulla Parliament Seat.
Poor popularity of Salamuddin Bajad.
Interesting Facts About Baramulla Lok Sabha Seat
Of 11,52,956 electorates in Baramulla-Kupwara Parliamentary seat, 6,07,062 were male while 5,45,894 were females
Only NC and Congress have so far won this seat.