Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency: Triangular fight on cards among Aga Syed, Waheed Parra and Ashraf Mir
Srinagar Lok Sabha: Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Waheed Parra and Mohammad Ashraf Mir (L-R)
Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Waheed Parra and Mohammad Ashraf Mir (L-R)
Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency: Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency will be an intriguing seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as in 2019, it was one of six Lok Sabha seats of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, but in 2024, it is one of the five Lok Sabha seats of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Srinagar constituency was established in 1962 and has a total of 15 legislative assemblies under it, including Kangan, Ganderbal, Hazratbal, Zadibal, Eidgah, Khanyar, Habba Kadal, Amira Kadal, Sonawar, Batmaloo, Chadoora, Budgam, Beerwah, Khan Sahib and Charari Sharief.
The seat is dominated by the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference party (JKNC), which has won 10 out of the 13 Lok Sabha elections. The only national party to ever win the Lok Sabha elections in Srinagar is Congress, which emerged victorious in the 1996 elections.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, despite being part of the I.N.D.I.A. alliance, both JKNC and JKPDP have decided to contest from Srinagar, with Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi and Waheed Parra as their candidates, respectively. On the other hand, the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party’s Mohammad Ashraf Mir will be bidding for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in phase 4 on Monday, May 13.
Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi (JKNC)
Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, JKNC (Source_ X_@RuhullahMehdi)
Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, JKNC (Source: X/@RuhullahMehdi)
The most prominent party from the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, after announcing that they will be contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha elections against JKPDP, despite being part of the same alliance, chose former three-time MLA Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi as their candidate. Mehdi comes from a politically wealthy family and has a strong connection with the people of Srinagar, on which JKNC seem to be banking.
Waheed Parra (JKPDP)
Waheed Parra, JKPDP (Source: X/@shahoori786)
Waheed Parra, JKPDP (Source: X/@shahoori786)
Soon after, JKNC announced their intention to contest all the three seats left for the local parties in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections after the seat distribution deat of I.N.D.I.A alliance, JKPDP, also opted to contest on all three seats, including Srinagar and fielded Waheed Parra as their 18th Lok Sabha candidate from Srinagar Lok Sabha seat. Parra won the District Development Council (DDC) elections in 2020 but has yet to take the oath due to criminal charges against him.
Mohammad Ashraf Mir (JKAP)
Mohammad Ashraf Mir, JKAP (Centre) (Source: X/@PANKAJNEWS241)
Mohammad Ashraf Mir, JKAP (Centre) (Source: X/@PANKAJNEWS241)
Just like the Congress, the BJP also opted to let their alliance member contest from the Srinagar seat. In NDA’s case, it is JKAP that fielded their party president, Mohammad Ashraf Mir, as their 2024 Lok Sabha election candidate from Srinagar Lok Sabha.
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