Shah Basit
The upcoming Jammu Kashmir assembly elections are set to witness a fierce contest in Ganderbal as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) officially named Bashir Ahmad Mir as its candidate to challenge Omar Abdullah of the National Conference (NC).
This move signals a strategic effort by the PDP to penetrate the NC stronghold in Ganderbal, a constituency long associated with the Abdullah family.
Bashir Ahmad Mir, a prominent figure in the PDP, is set to face Omar Abdullah, the National Conference leader, in what promises to be one of the most closely watched electoral battles in the region.
Mir, who has previously contested in Ganderbal’s Kangan area, a stronghold of NC stalwart Mian Altaf, secured 12,000 votes in 2008 and 25,000 votes in 2014. His candidacy is expected to draw significant attention in the coming elections.
Speaking to The Kashmiriyat, Bashir Mir confirmed his candidacy for the Ganderbal seat, where Omar Abdullah will also be contesting on the NC ticket.
The decision by the NC to field Omar Abdullah in Ganderbal has sparked a social media campaign criticizing the party’s choice not to nominate a local candidate in a constituency traditionally seen as the Abdullah family’s bastion. The campaign appears to be affecting Omar Abdullah’s once unchallenged popularity in the area.
Adding to the intensity of the contest, sources within the National Conference revealed that the party is not taking any risks this time, especially after the disappointing results in the Baramulla seat during the parliamentary elections.
“We were mistakenly getting inputs that it was an easy seat. Though a lot of people were determined to defeat Omar, we were confident. The party leadership and the cadre did not reach the ground. But this time, we are not leaving any loopholes,” said the source.