Jammu, Apr 4: On the last day of filing nomination papers, nine candidates Thursday filed their nomination papers from Jammu Lok Sabha constituency for second phase of parliamentary elections scheduled to be held in Jammu and Kashmir on April 26.
The candidates who filed nomination papers in the office of Returning Officer included Naresh Kumar Talla from Jai Prakash Janta Dal, Qari Zaheer Abbas Bhatti from All India Forward Block, Naresh Kumar Chib from Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party (Bhim), Indra Bhalla from Indian National Congress (substitute candidate) and independent candidates Principal CD Sharma, Satish Poonchi, Vicky Kumar Dogra, Perseen Singh and Ravinder Singh.
With the filing of nomination papers by these nine candidates, the total number of candidates who have filed their candidature for 5-Jammu PC goes to 26. The nomination papers will be scrutinized on April 6 at 11 am. The candidates can withdraw their nomination before 3 pm on April 8, 2024 in the office of Returning Officer.
The constituency is likely to witness a straight contest between traditional political opponents Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). From BJP, Jugal Kishore Sharma is aiming at scoring a hat-trick while Congress candidate and former minister Raman Bhalla is seeking his maiden entry in the Parliament. Both Jugal and Bhalla were pitted against each other in the 2019 electoral battle as well.
In 2019, Jugal had defeated the Congress candidate Raman Bhalla with a margin of 3,02,875 votes as NC and PDP had not fielded their candidates. In 2014, Jugal had won this seat again defeating Congress candidate Madan Lal Sharma, with a victory margin of 2.57 lakh votes.
Following delimitation, Jammu parliamentary constituency comprises 18 assembly constituencies which include 11 from Jammu; three from Samba and Reasi district each and one Rajouri’s Kalakote assembly constituency. Total electors are 17.66 lakh.