In Jammu and Kashmir, with campaigning for the first phase of Assembly elections entering its last week, the Chenab Valley in the Jammu division is getting ready for high-profile visits. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will come on September 14 to address a rally at the sports stadium in Doda. The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, is also expected to address a rally in Doda. National Conference star campaigner Omar Abdullah addressed three rallies in the district yesterday.  Among the three Assembly constituencies of Doda district, the 52-Doda (East) Assembly Constituency is considered one of the key constituencies.

Eight Assembly Constituencies in the three districts of Chenab Valley including Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban will go for polls on September 18 during the first phase of assembly elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be covering all the Assembly Constituencies from Doda district and will seek votes for BJP candidates. The Congress party is also expecting to secure their win on two to three seats by ensuring Rahul Gandhi’s presence.

Omar Abdullah of National Conference is also pushing hard for his candidates in Chenab valley and winning as many seats despite having a friendly contest with the Congress party. Among the three Assembly Segments of the Doda district, 52-Doda (East) assembly segment is an important and hot seat with 98,582 voters including 48,032 female and 2 transgender. 171 polling stations have been established for the voters of the constituency. A total of 9 candidates are in the final electoral fray prominent among them are former minister Abdul Majid Wani of Democratic Progressive Azad Party, former Minister and National Conference leader and NC-Congress alliance candidate, Khalid Najeeb Sorawardi and Gaja Sing Rana of the Bharatiya Janta Party.

There will be a triangular contest between these three contenders. The voters of the constituency will lock the fate of these three bigwig contenders’ in the EVMs on September 18 by casting their franchise. More than 23.27 lakh voters including 5.66 lakh youths are eligible to exercise their electoral franchise in the first phase of which 11.76 lakh are male voters and 11.51 lakh female voters along with 60 Third Gender Electors.