The upcoming Assembly elections in the Rajouri, Poonch, and Reasi districts of Jammu division are shaping up to be intense, with multi-cornered contests in several constituencies. Key seats such as Nowshera, Rajouri, and Thannamandi are set for triangular or direct contests, featuring prominent candidates, including BJP’s Ravinder Raina, National Conference’s Surinder Choudhary, and Congress figures like Iftikhar Ahmed. A mix of party switches and alliances, such as the NC-Congress seat-sharing agreement, has added complexity to the electoral landscape.
In Nowshera, for example, the battle replicates the 2014 contest between Raina and Choudhary, with Choudhary now representing the NC. Rajouri will witness a triangular contest between BJP’s Vibodh Gupta, Congress’ Iftikhar Ahmed, and spiritual leader Mian Mahfooz. Other noteworthy seats include Budhal, where Choudhary Zulfkar Ali faces off against his nephew Javed Choudhary, and Sunderbani-Kalakote, where family rivalries also shape the race.
With multiple party rebels and former MLAs in the fray, these elections are expected to reflect both old political rivalries and new alliances.
