With dismal polling percentage recorded in Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency the polling for which was held in three phases, the three major contenders NC, PDP and Congress will be banking upon the selected pockets for their winning prospects.
Anantnag district which went for polls in the first legrecorded a percentage of 13; that came down to 10 in the second leg in Kulgamdistrict. In the third leg of the polling held in Pulwama and Shopiandistricts, today the percentage dipped further to 1.51 and 2.44 respectively.
In Pulwama district- the Pampore assembly segment recordedthe highest polling percentage of 5.26. The segment consists of three majortowns- Awantipora, Pampore, and Khrew and their adjoining villages.
While Awantipora, Pampore and its villages did not see anyvoting, in Khrew town alone 1200 votes were polled out of 9000 by lateafternoon.
“With dismal voting in most areas of the segment, NC will bebanking upon the votes in Khrew,” said a political analyst.
Khrew is the native area of NC candidate and former judgeHassnain Masodi.
In Shar-Shali, the village located nearby, 461 votes werepolled out of 3571 as the day ended.
200 votes were polled in Lethpora out of around 8000 whilein Barsoo 45 votes were polled out of 7000 till late afternoon.
Not many votes were polled in, Ladoo, Drangbal, Nambalbal,Fristibal, Pampore town and Kunibal, the native areas of PDPs two time MLA,Zahoor Mir.
Awantipora and its villages, Padgampora, Panzgam, Beighpora,Dogripora, Gulzarpora on the other hand completely stayed away.
1 vote had been cast out of 3000 in main town Awantipora byafternoon.
The total of 4323 were polled out of 82,162 inPampore-Awantipora assembly segment.
The Rajpora assembly segment which has been a stronghold ofelectoral politics in the past witnessed a poll percentage of mere 1.64percent.
The segment has been represented by PDP thrice in a rowsince 2002.
In the last assembly elections, Haseeb Drabu, who quit fromthe PDP after being divested of the Finance Ministry represented this segmentin the lower house.
Only in a couple of villages, Sangarwani, Naira located inthe upper belt; people came out to vote, while rest, Bewoora, Rajpora town theypreferred to stay indoors.
Similarly, Pulwama and Tral assembly segments also recordeddismal polling of 0.7 and 1.09 respectively.
The polling in Pulwama is so far the lowest in all sixteenassembly segments of this parliamentary seat even surpassing Home Shalibugh (Qaimoh-Yaripora) in Kulgamdistrict, the polling for which was held in the second leg.
The voters in Pulwama town, Kakpora, Karimabad, Muran,Tahab, Rohmoo, Sirnoo, Litter, Lassipora villages either completely stayed awayor turned out to vote in ones and twos.
PDP leader Waheed Paara hails from this area.
Shopian has been represented in the assembly thrice in a rowby PDP, each time by three different legislators.
People completely stayed away in the main town and itsvillages, Meemanadar, Nagbal, Gagran, Pinjoora, Narwa.
However, Kellar – native area of former PDP MLC ZaffarManhas witnessed moderate to brisk polling.
In Karewa Manloo and Karewa Shadab village in Kellar, 1137votes were polled out of around 2322 by the end of day.
Similarly, in another village in same area Chachmarg 271votes were polled out 618 as the pollingended.
The restive Wachi- Zainapora where the polling staff had tobe airlifted yesterday also witnessed dismal turnout of 1.37 percent with themajority of votes polled in Chitragam, the native area of former NC MLC ShowkatGanai.
“273 votes were polled in Chitragam A and 282 in Chitragam Bout of the total of 952 and 961 as theday ended,” said a polling official.
“The pockets mainly located in upper areas – DH Pora,Manzhama, Watoo, Kund, Waltengoo, Chowgam, Churath, Panzath, which witnessedmoderate to brisk voting will hold key,” says an analyst.