Congress wiped out in Jammu region: could retain only four seats

PS BALI

Jammu, Dec 23: Congress has suffered a humiliating defeat in its strong bastion- Jammu region, where it bagged 13 seats in the last assembly elections, out of its total tally of 16.

Despite the hectic campaign by AICC chief Sonia Gandhi, Vice president, Rahul Gandhi , former Chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and battery of central Congress leaders, the party could retain only four seats. 

The defeat was so embarrassing that the Congress lost all the nine Jammu seats it had won in 2008. In Jammu district the party failed to retain even a single seat, despite having star contenders, including Raman Bhalla, Sham Lal Sharma and Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand.

The party succumbed in Rajouri, Chhamb, Akhnoor, Gandhi Nagar, Billawar, Ramban, Bhaderwah, Doda and Chenani- once considered party’s strong  bastions  .

Former Minister, Shabir Ahmad Khan lost in Rajouri and had to be content with third position with 24296 votes. PDP candidate, Qamar Hussain won with 26954 votes from this seat.

In Ramban, Congress candidate Ashok Kumar was relegated to third place by securing just 5643 votes against BJP candidate Neelam Kumar Langeh, who got 25349 votes and NC candidate Dr Chaman Lal with 19985 votes.

In Bhaderwah, Mohammad Sharief Niaz of Congress managed 24457 votes against BJP's Daleep Singh, who polled 25953 votes. The seat has remained strong bastion of the Congress party, winning four of last five assembly elections.

Abdul Majid Wani, cabinet minister from Doda too found himself on the losing side with 20532 votes.

He lost to BJP candidate Shakti Raj, who managed 24572 votes. Wani has retained this seat since 2002.

Congress candidate from Billawar- Dr Manohar Lal was trounced by BJP candidate Dr Nirmal Kumar Singh, who got 43447 votes. Manohar Lal bagged 25472 votes. He had retained this seat since 2002 as an Independent candidate and later as a candidate of Congress.

In Chenani, Congress candidate-Krishan Chander was thrashed by a BJP candidate, Dina Nath with a huge margin of 20332 votes. The BJP candidate bagged 33047 votes, while Congress candidate could manage only 12715 votes.

Jammu district saw the main contest between Congress and BJP, where the later was totally wiped out. Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand lost in Chhamb against Dr. Kirshan Lal of BJP with a margin of 14790 votes. Tara Chand bagged 21243 votes, Kirshan Lal secured 36033 votes. Tara Chand had retained this seat since 1996.

Two times Congress minister Raman Bhalla was humbled by the BJP’s fresh face Kavinder Gupta from Gandhi Nagar with massive 16777. Bhalla managed to bag 39902 votes, while Kavinder Gupta clinched 56679 votes.

In yet another embarrassment for the Congress party, the two times cabinet minister, Sham Lal Sharma from Akhnoor seat lost to BJP’s Rajeev Sharma with a margin of 9380 votes. Rajeev got 41901 votes against 32521 votes of Sharma.

Meanwhile, four Congress candidates retained their seat with a thin margin. Sitting Minister Vikar Rasool Wani (Congress) retained his Banihal seat with slender margin. He polled 17671 votes against PDP’s Bashir Ahmed Runyal, who bagged 13322 votes.

Ajaz Ahmed Khan won by polling 22966 votes and defeated Kuldeep Raj Dubey of BJP, who got 16088 votes in Gool Arnas.

In Inderwal, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori retained his seat by defeating Tariq Hussain Keen of BJP with a margin of 12370 votes. Saroori bagged 29754 votes against 17384 of Keen.

Congress also retained Surankote   with Ch Mohammad Akram son of party’s vetran leader Choudhary Mohammad Aslam defeating Mushtaq Ahmed Shah of National Conference by 8064 votes. Akram secured 30584 votes against 22520 votes of NC candidate.

However, changing the stats, Congress candidate from Gulabgarh seat, Mumtaz Ahmed registered victory by defeating NC stalwart and former minister, Abdul Gani Malik with thin margin of 1816 votes.

The loss of mandate is being attributed to a combination of the Modi wave and anti-incumbency against the 12-year rule of the Congress.