With 99,037 voters—DH Pora’s future hangs in balance

3 major parties gear up for a tough fight

Srinagar, Sep 13: The picturesque assembly constituency of Damhal Hanji Pora (DH Pora), previously known as Noorabad, is set to witness an intense triangular contest in the upcoming elections.
Situated in Kulgam district, which boasts scenic lakes like Kosarnag and Brahmsar, DH Pora has a rich political history of closely fought races, and this year appears no different. Candidates from the National Conference (NC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and the Apni Party are all fighting to secure the seat.

As election fever sweeps through the constituency, the streets of DH Pora are abuzz with activity. Supporters crowd into vehicles playing party theme songs over loudspeakers, while flags of various political parties adorn shops and homes. Politics dominates conversations in buses, autos, and local shops as people debate the future of their region.
Abdul Salam Dar, a local travelling back home from Srinagar said that the people of DH Pora have always strived for true representation and rarely vote due to emotive slogans. “This is the reason that in the last 30 years, no candidate whether from NC, PDP or Congress has won this seat twice in a row. The people minutely observe the works done in the past and needs of the future. It won’t be a cake walk for any of the candidates this time either,” Dar said.
Meanwhile, the economy of DH Pora is heavily reliant on agriculture, with 70 percent of the population working in the sector. However, unemployment remains a major issue for the youth due to a lack of industries and infrastructure. Tourism, bolstered by the district’s lakes and historical sites, offers some economic relief, though locals argue that successive governments have neglected the area’s tourism potential, leading to inadequate roads and poor facilities.

The political landscape of DH Pora has seen fierce competition over the years. In the 2014 elections, PDP’s Abdul Majeed won the seat, defeating NC’s Sakina Itoo by a margin of 3,708 votes. Sakina had previously won the seat in 2008 by a margin of 4,518 votes. Notably, no candidate has been re-elected in DH Pora in the last three elections, as the constituency has alternated between the PDP and NC. The Congress, which historically secured third place, is now in alliance with the NC and has not fielded a candidate this time.
Abdul Majeed, who secured victory for PDP in 2014 with 28,698 votes, has since left the party to contest on an Apni Party ticket. Majeed previously represented the Congress in 2002 and 2008 before switching to the PDP in 2014. Meanwhile, the NC, which increased its vote share from 27 percent in 2002 to 42 percent in 2014, is fielding Sakina Itoo for the fourth consecutive time. The PDP has introduced a new face, Gulzar Ahmad Dar, hoping to reclaim the seat.
As DH Pora prepares for its first assembly election since the abrogation of Article 370, voters are reflecting on the past decade’s developments. Some of the achievements cited by locals include the paving of kutcha roads, the repair of dilapidated schools, the construction of a college, and improved access to drinking water in villages. However, many argue that key issues like the restoration of waterfalls, rural road development, and employment generation remain unaddressed.
With a total of 99,037 voters — 50,153 men and 48,878 women — the constituency’s future hangs in the balance as the three major parties gear up for a tough fight.