Srinagar, Sep 30 (KNO): Lolab assembly constituency is bracing for an exciting political battle as the third phase of polling is set for October 1, marking the first election in the region in a decade.
The vibrant political atmosphere has turned into a festival-like environment with rallies, slogans, and enthusiastic crowds. Multiple political parties and independent candidates are fighting for the seat and have made this an intense contest.
As per the records available with news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had previously held the seat, with Abdul Haq Khan securing victory in the last two elections.
In the 2014 assembly elections, Khan won with 29,408 votes, narrowly defeating National Conference (NC) candidate Kaiser Jamshed Lone by 2,870 votes. In the 2008 elections, Khan had a more comfortable margin, winning by 5,347 votes. This time, however, the dynamics have changed. Khan’s son, Waqar Khan, has stepped into the race, facing Lone in what promises to be another close fight.
The contest has further heated up with the entry of the People’s Conference (PC) candidate, Mudassir, who, despite being a first-time contender, is expected to pull significant votes in some areas, potentially splitting the vote base. This has turned what was initially a two-party contest into a triangular battle.
From 1977 to 2014, the NC dominated this seat, winning all but two elections. PDP’s Abdul Haq Khan broke this streak with back-to-back victories in 2008 and 2014. Now, the big question remains: Can PDP secure a hat-trick in Lolab, or will NC reclaim its hold on the seat?
Ghulam Rasool Tantary, a local resident told KNO that the key issues in Lolab are Inflation and rising costs, Unemployment among educated youth, Potential for border tourism development and electricity and water scarcity.
As per the Voter Statistics, total voters in this assembly segment are 90,392 which include 45,391 men and 45,073 women—(KNO)