Assembly polls: Three-way contest in Sonawari as delimitation ‘changes game’

Bandipora Sep 30: The Sonawari constituency in Bandipora district of north Kashmir is going to witness a triangular contest with NC contesting to retain power AIP’s Yasir Reshi and Imtiyaz Parray seems to be the strong opponents.
Hilal Kabar lone, the son of Former Deputy speaker and alliance candidate for Sonawari constituency is now facing off against Imtiyaz Parry and Former MLC Yasir Reshi who earlier served PDP and supported People’s Conference in parliament elections.
Hilal Lone whose father has a long history of serving Sonawari constituency in National conference but now as his son leads the charge of national conference in his native constituency.
Earlier this year in parliament elections the Sonawari constituency had voted 22000 to former chief minister but now as ground changes the questions remains whether people will accept him as a candidate.
In the 2014 assembly election Jammu and Kashmir National conference candidate Mohd Akbar alone got 32567 votes defeating JKPDP Yasir Reshi who got 32161 votes. The JKNC secured 40.53% of total votes.
Sonawari Assembly Constituency has the highest number of 1,21,276 registered voters, comprising 61,473 males, 59,799 females, and 4 transgender voters. A total of 137 polling stations are spread across this constituency with 23 urban and 114 rural, ensuring that every registered voter has opportunity to participate in democratic process.
Hilal Lone who was joined by Omar Abdullah last week in his speech appealed workers to vote in favor of Hilal Lone says he was demotivated after parliament elections when AIP’s Engineer Rasheed took lead in the assembly segment.
Lone who was elected speaker of Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly in 2007. He was made cabinet minister in the Omar Abdullah government in 15 January 2013 and was given the portfolio of Minister in charge of higher education.
In 2019, he won the Lok Sabha seat from Baramulla, in a four cornered contest involving the PDP, BJP and five other candidates.
Yasir Reshi, AIP Sonwari constituency candidate said that this election is important for Kashmiris to vote against BJP for controlling them to gain more power in Kashmir valley.
He also said that the elections are happening in the valley peacefully with people now taking part in elections in long queues, which shows Kashmir’s trust in democracy.
“The people are tied up with traditional politics and they now want change. We are confident to secure a win in Sonawari constituency because of our work.
According to the political analysts as now around 18 candidates are in a election fray which includes BJP, PDP and other independent candidate the contest will be triangular with JKNC Candidate Hilal Akbar lone seemed as a strong candidates among the three Yasir Reshi (AIP) and Apni party Candidate Imtiyaz Parray.
After delimitation, around 18000 votes of Sonwari have now been added to Bandipora constituency where NC mostly received lead, which according to the analysts will affect their winning margin.