Voicing the Voiceless: Dilip Pandit’s Fight for Anantnag Lok Sabha Seat

Displaying confidence in his victory in the forthcoming general election, Dilip Pandit, the independent candidate for the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, stated that his entry into the contest is motivated by a commitment to social justice for everyone.

“Currently, I am living in Jammu as a migrant. This is one family. I am sure they will make me win. My victory is assured,” Dilip Pandit stated to ANI. “These political people have harassed our people a lot. I have no political background but I entered politics to ensure social justice for all. There is no other issue. You can see how people are oppressed. I want to fight this, which is why he entered politics. I want to give voice to the voiceless,” he added.

The Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency is composed of the following 16 assembly segments: Tral, Pampore, Pulwama, Rajpora, Wachi, Shopian, Noorabad, Kulgam, Hom Shali Bugh, Anantnag, Devsar, Dooru, Kokernag, Shangus, Bijbehara, Pahalgam. Anantnag is scheduled for polling on May 7, with the vote count set for June 4.

In the 2019 parliamentary elections, Hasnain Masoodi of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKN) emerged victorious with a margin of 5.35%, surpassing his closest competitor, Ghulam Ahmad Mir from the Congress party.

JKN and Congress secured vote shares of 32.17% and 26.83%, respectively. In 2014, Mehbooba Mufti of the The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP) won the election, while in 2009, the Anantnag constituency elected Mirza Mehboob Beg from JKN. The voter turnouts in 2019, 2014, and 2009 were 8.98%, 28.84%, and 27.1%, respectively.

Polling in Jammu and Kashmir is scheduled to occur over the first five phases, spanning from April 19 to May 20.