BJP rebel may spoil Morcha game-plan

With the highest number of voters (1,51,477) and the second highest number of polling stations (123) after Leh (160), Jammu West constituenc...

With the highest number of voters (1,51,477) and the second highest number of polling stations (123) after Leh (160), Jammu West constituency is likely to witness an interesting tussle when it goes to polls in the second phase on September 24. Interestingly, this seat has the highest number of 16 candidates contesting in Jammu district.

After a few ifs and buts, the Congress has fielded heavy-weight Mangat Ram Sharma from this seat while BJP has given the seat to the RSS-backed Jammu State Morcha. Morcha candidate Prof Virender Gupta has a rival in the form of BJP rebel, Independent candidate and sitting MLA Hans Raj Dogra.

The ruling party has again expressed its faith in Youth NC leader Chander Mohan Sharma who secured 6,276 (12.73 pc) votes in the 1996 polls. The Congress this time has in fact changed its candidate as Yogesh Sahwney has been fielded from another city seat Jammu East. Sahwney had secured 10,068 (20.43 per cent) votes in the last polls.

The competition for the seat is likely to be tough this time. The Morcha candidate is contesting the polls for first time on the plank of ‘‘separate statehood for Jammu.’’ There are at least two other candidates who have made the issue their key plank.

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Among others, these candidates Raj Kumar of the BSP is also a strong candidate as the party had secured 6,767 (13.73 pc) votes in the last polls.

This seat has a mixed population and even Kashmiri Pandits (19,000) and PoK refugees (25,000) have a good hold on this seat. Every party is trying to get the votes of these communites also.

The competition took an interesting turn with sitting MLA Hans Raj Dogra contesting as an Independent. This when the Jammu State Morcha and the BJP were claiming that they had arrived at a seat adjustment.

In such situation, it will be difficult for the BJP-Morcha joint candidate Gupta to secure enough votes. Dogra had polled 22,506 votes (45.67 pc) in the 1996 polls.

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All candidates are pushing their own issues. NC candidate Chander Mohan is banking on performance of the government while others have fallen back on the issue of discrimination including the Congress, the BJP and the BSP.

No Central leader has come yet here after the nominations and the real campaign will start after a week. Former Punjab DGP, P.C. Dogra, journalist Muzaffar Beig and former CBI chief Joginder Singh are likely to campaign for the Morcha.