LS Polls: Punjab resident to contest from J&K’s Anantnag-Rajouri seat

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], April 25 (ANI): Baldev Kumar, a resident of Punjab’s Nayagaon is contesting as an Independent candidate from Anantnag-Rajouri seat in Kashmir for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat will go to polls on May 7 in the third phase of general elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

Known in Kashmir as ‘Baldev Chacha’, Kumar has been helping the people of Kashmir who come to Chandigarh with patients at PGI Chandigarh.

He has filed his nomination for the 2024 general elections.

Speaking with ANI, he said, “I have filed the nomination on the insistence of the people of the Kashmir. Because, I have been connected with them for the last 20 years.”

“I have filed the nomination for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat. All this work has been done by the kashmiris,” he added.

He said that he has been allotted the ‘pressure cooker’ as an election symbol.

Replying to a query, he said, “I am not a politician. I have been coming to Anantnag for 20 years. People said that previous members of the Parliament did nothing and when we come to Chandigarh we eat from one plate. Thousands of Kashmiris come to me”.

The second phase of polling will be held on April 26, tomorrow.

Polling for the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency was held during phase 1 on April 19.

Polling for Jammu, Srinagar, and Baramulla would be held on April 26, May 13, and May 20 respectively.

In 2019, polling for the Lok Sabha was held for six seats in Jammu and Kashmir. However, following the abrogation of Article 370, which resulted in the split of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state into two Union Territories–Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, there is no longer a separate Lok Sabha constituency for Ladakh.

In the 2019 elections, the BJP won three seats, while the National Conference won the remaining three.

The first phase of voting for 102 parliamentary constituencies spread over 21 states and Union Territories was held on April 19 with a voter turnout of nearly 64 per cent.

The counting of votes and results will be declared on June 4.