Jammu, Sep 5: The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) is facing a tough battle from a newcomer in Doda west Assembly constituency which was being considered a safe seat for the saffron party.
This constituency was carved out of Doda and Bhaderwah constituencies of Doda district and some parts of Ramban constituency of Ramban district was also added to it.
Nearly, 87436 electorates including 45567 male and 41869 female voters are eligible to vote in the first phase of Assembly elections for Doda West Assembly constituency which will go for polls on September 18.
On this seat BJP has fielded former MLA and former minister Shakti Raj Parihar with an aim to win this seat as opposition parties didn't have any big leader to counter BJP. But a few months back a professor Dr. Pardeep Kumar Bhagat joined Congress party and has been given the mandate by the party aloongwith the support from National Conference.
Being a member of the Scheduled Caste community, Bhagat is attracting lots of voters and Muslim population is also supporting him. But Parihar enjoys a good rapport among all the communities as he has never spoken against anybody in the district and has reached out to all the communities.
In this new constituency, BJP will be eyeing to win and make sure that it is a safe seat for the party whereas Congress is up for giving a surprise.
The campaigning of both the candidates is going at full pace and as the area is hilly, reaching out to each and every area is difficult in the next 10 days.
At present there are eight candidates in the fray for this seat which include BJP, Congress. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Democratic Progressive Azad (DPAP), Aam Aadmi Party, Shiv Sena Bala Saheb Thakrey and few independents
