Pulwama, Sept 17: Authorities in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district dispatched polling materials and staff to 481 polling stations on Tuesday.
With 45 candidates competing across four key assembly constituencies—Pampore, Tral, Rajpora, and Pulwama—the stakes are high as political veterans aim to return to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.
Among the prominent figures is Syed Bashir Ahmad, a seasoned politician from Pulwama and a founding member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Bashir first contested the 1996 elections for the Pulwama constituency on a Janata Dal ticket, which he lost to National Conference (NC) candidate Bashir Nengroo.
His political career took off in 2002 when he won the Rajpora seat on a PDP ticket, a success he replicated in 2008.
However, after being expelled from PDP, he contested the 2014 elections as an independent and lost. This time, he is making a comeback under the PDP banner.
Another key veteran, Ghulam Mohi ud Din Mir, is representing the National Conference from Rajpora. Having first held the seat in 1996, Mohi ud Din lost to Syed Bashir in 2002.
In 2008, he contested as an independent but was narrowly defeated by Syed Bashir again by 947 votes.
Despite rejoining NC, he lost the 2014 election to PDP’s Haseeb Drabu.
Pulwama constituency sees Mohammad Khalil Bandh, a long-time political figure, vying for a fourth consecutive term.
Bandh, who previously represented Pulwama in 2002, 2008, and 2014 for PDP, has shifted allegiance and is now contesting on a National Conference ticket after deserting his former party.
Similarly, Zahoor Ahmad Mir, a senior PDP leader, is contesting for the Pampore seat for a fourth consecutive term. Having successfully represented Pampore in 2002, 2008, and 2014, he remains a significant figure in the constituency.
As these seasoned politicians vie for public approval, Pulwama’s voters are poised to determine whether these veterans can secure another term or if a new generation of leaders will emerge.
