J&K Assembly polls ends today

Srinagar: The fifth and final phase in Jammu and Kashmir's assembly elections ends Saturday, with the Congress and the BJP locked in a do-or-die battle in the Hindu-majority Jammu region.

An estimated 1.83 million people are eligible to exercise their franchise that day in 20 constituencies of Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri districts to bring the curtains down on the keenly watched electoral exercise.

Campaigning ended Thursday evening. With election in Jammu & Kashmir complete, the polling in Kashmir division is also over which represents the 47 assembly segments out of 87 seats in JK Assembly including seats of Ladakh region.

The polling for 5th and final phase will be held on today for 20 assembly seats spread over three districts of Jammu division—Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in its last election rallies in Kathua and Jammu appealed to the voters that this phase of election is a turning point for the formation of new government and asked the much charged crowed to make it possible that the BJP must win all remaining seats so that the dream of BJP’s Mission Kashmir 44 can be fulfilled.

Narendra Modi knows it best how he would be going about Kashmir after the election is over and results are out on 23rd December. It is only at that point of time the clear picture will emerge. It will be clear what BJP’s mission 44 is? A morale boosting exercise; a hidden agenda; a day dream; or media hype. It is likely BJP will not open account in Kashmir as its plans for Kashmir have been foiled.

A total of 213 candidates are in the fray. They include senior Congress leaders and ministers Sham Lal Sharma (Akhnoor), Raman Bhalla (Gandhinagar), Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand (Chhamb) and Manohar Lal Sharma (Billawar).

All the Congress leaders are seeking re-election Senior National Conference leader Ajay Sadhotra, who lost in 2008 fromMarh, is fighting from the same constituency of Jammu district.

The Congress and the BJP, whose main political constituency lies in these three districts, are desperate to garner maximum voter support.Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Jammu thrice during the campaign.