Congress Picks Lal Singh for Udhampur, Bhalla for Jammu in Lok Sabha Race

In a strategic move ahead of the parliamentary polls, the Congress party has announced its candidates for the Jammu and Kashmir constituencies, setting the stage for an intriguing electoral battle. Former Member of Parliament (MP) Choudhary Lal Singh, who recently made his return to the Congress, has been chosen to contest against Union Minister Jitendra Singh in the Udhampur constituency. This decision was revealed in the party's fourth list, which includes 45 candidates for the Lok Sabha election.

Lal Singh, aged 65 and originating from Kathua district, marked his return to Congress on March 20 at the party's headquarters in Delhi. His candidacy against Jitendra Singh for the Udhampur seat, which is scheduled to go to polls on April 19, had been widely anticipated. Having won this seat twice in 2004 and 2009 as a Congress candidate, Lal Singh's political journey saw him switching allegiances to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2014. He served as a minister in the erstwhile PDP-BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir, which saw its end in June 2018.

His departure from BJP came amidst controversy over his participation in a rally supporting the accused in a high-profile rape-and-murder case in Kathua during January 2018. Despite the uproar, Lal Singh defended his actions, stating his intent was to calm tensions. In November of the previous year, he faced arrest by the Enforcement Directorate over allegations of money laundering linked to an educational trust managed by his wife, Kanta Andotra. He was subsequently released on bail after three weeks.

On the other side, Jitendra Singh has been a formidable opponent, having retained the Udhampur seat in 2019 with a significant margin of 3,53,272 votes against Congress's Vikramaditya Singh. His victory in 2014 was also notable when he defeated former Union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Additionally, the Congress has positioned Raman Bhalla, working president of its Jammu and Kashmir unit and former minister, to challenge incumbent BJP MP Jugal Kishore Sharma for the Jammu parliamentary seat. Bhalla's previous attempt in 2019 resulted in defeat despite a strong campaign. The upcoming election on April 26 promises to be a closely watched contest as Bhalla seeks to overturn his past electoral setback.

This electoral strategy by Congress indicates a robust effort to reclaim significant constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir. With seasoned politicians like Lal Singh and Raman Bhalla leading their charge, the party aims to make substantial inroads against their BJP counterparts. As these constituencies prepare for their respective polling dates, all eyes will be on these key battles that could potentially shift the political landscape in this region.