Srinagar: With Kashmiri separatists having called for a boycott of elections and the first phase of polling just 10 days away, the mainstream parties have rolled up their sleeves to put up a tough fight in the strife-torn state of Jammu & Kashmir.

The state will elect six members out of 543 for the 16th Lok Sabha, India’s Parliament.

The National Conference (NC) and Congress party, which are jointly ruling the state, have again entered an alliance, sharing three seats each.

The contest is believed to be multi-cornered. Out of four constituencies of Kashmir division, where the NC is fielding its candidates, the party is facing a direct challenge from the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Srinagar, Anantnag and Baramullah. In the fourth constituency of Ladakh, the fight is between the BJP and the Congress. The NC president and Union Minister for Renewable Energy Dr Farooq Abdullah, is facing PDP senior leader and former state Finance Minster Tariq Hameed Qarra in Srinagar constituency.

High voter turnout

In two constituencies of Jammu division, Jammu and Udhampur, an epic contest is expected between the Congress and the BJP. Despite the Congress having fielded a senior leader and Health Minister in the Union Government Ghulam Nabi Azad, for Udhampur constituency, the BJP candidate Dr Jatinder Singh is likely to put up a tough fight.

The party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi has thus far addressed two huge rallies in the area.

Meanwhile, separatist militants and politicians opposing the Indian rule, have issued appeals for a poll boycott. However, experts believe that the call will not be heeded by many, considering the response to previous such calls during the 2002, 2008 assembly and 2004, 2009 parliamentary elections, when a good number of the voters came out to vote, despite boycott calls.

It was only during the peak of militancy in the 1996 assembly election when the boycott call left an effect on the polls in the valley and some areas of Jammu region.

Even in 2011 panchayat elections, voters came out in the valley in huge numbers. The percentage of polling recorded was very high.

The turnout was even better than the historic 2008 assembly polls, when 65 per cent people voted despite boycott calls, a fact that surprised all including those behind the calls.

In the run up to the elections, the authorities have enhanced security and monitoring of the activities of the separatists. In order to neutralise the boycott call, authorities are planning firm measures against these groups.

Due to the security situation in Kashmir, the election commission has decided to hold the election in five phases between April 10 and May 7.

Jalil Rathor is a journalist based in Srinagar.