Litmus test for Omar, Mehbooba, Jitendra Singh

SRINAGAR: The political career of three political heavy weights — two ex-chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti and BJP MP and Union MoS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh — are at stake in the Lok Sabha polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

J&K has five Lok Sabha seats of which three are very significant as the political future of three political heavy weights depends on them. PDP chief and former CM Mufti contested from the newly carved out Anantnag-Rajouri LS seat. She was involved in a triangular contest with NC’s prominent Gujjar leader Mian Altaf and Apni Party’s Pahari leader Zaffar Manhas.

According to political expert Noor Mohammad Baba, if Mehbooba loses the polls, it will be tough for her to establish herself and her party.

The PDP has been weakened by desertions after the fall of PDP-BJP coalition government led by Mehbooba in June 2018. Mehbooba losing will imply that the people have not “forgiven” her for aligning with BJP after 2014 polls.

It is also a very important election for Union MoS PMO and senior J&K BJP leader Dr Jitendra Singh, who is pitted against Lal Singh of Congress. “Singh has been the face of the Modi government in J&K and if he loses polls it will be a major setback to him and BJP. Even if he does not lose and wins with a smaller vote margin, it will make the BJP rethink,” he said.

Another political commentator said in 2019 polls, it was easily predicted that Jitendra would emerge victorious, this time everybody is keeping their fingers crossed.

Former Chief Minister and N C vice president Omar Abdullah has moved out of his comfort zone to contest from Baramulla LS seat, where he is involved in a triangular contest with jailed ex MLA

Er Rashid and Peoples Conference chairman and former minister Sajad Lone.