Kulgam/ April,29 : A complete shutdown on the eve of polling on Monday hit normal life in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district which went to polls in phase II of the three phase polling of Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency. As reported already the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Hurriyat Conference (M) Chairman Mirwaiz Molvi Umar Farooq and incarcerated JKLF Chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik has called for shutdowns in poll bound areas on different areas going to polls on different days as scheduled in the seven phase polling of the parliamentary elections announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Reports said all business establishments remained closed while passenger traffic was off the roads in Kulgam district. Police and paramilitary troopers have been deployed in strength in all the four assembly segments of the Kulgam district for smooth and incident free conduct of the elections in the district. Law enforcing authorities suspended mobile Internet services in the entire south Kashmir area comprising four district– Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian. Train services between Baramulla and Banihal were also cancelled for the day.
As already reported 18 candidates in the fray in this constituency, but the main contest is between Mehbooba Mufti of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Ghulam Ahmad Mir of Congress and Justice (Retired) Hasnain Masoodi of the National Conference (NC).
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Sofi Yusuf and the People’s Conference (PC), Choudhary Zafar Ali. In addition, there is a lone woman candidate, Ridwana Sanam who is contesting as an Independent. For the first time in the electoral history of the state, a non-local, Shams Khwaja, a lawyer from Uttar Pradesh is also in the fray.
