Srinagar, Sep 16 : The campaigning for the first phase of Jammu and Kashmir elections in 24 Assembly constituencies spread across seven districts of the Union Territory came to an end on Monday. The polling will be held on September 18.

A total of 219 candidates are in the fray for the 24 constituencies of Anantnag, Anantnag West, Banihal, Bhaderwah, D.H. Pora, Devsar, Doda, Doda West, Dooru, Inderwal, Kishtwar, Kokernag (ST),Kulgam, Paddar-Nagseni, Pahalgam, Pampore, Pulwama, Rajpora, Ramban, Shangus-Anantnag East, Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Shopian, Tral and Zainpora.

These constituencies are in Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama districts of Kashmir Valley, and in Ramban, Kishtwar and Doda districts in Jammu division.

The main contest in the constituencies in four districts of the Kashmir Valley is between the National Conference-Congress (alliance) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Political analysts believe that the entry of Lok Sabha member, Engineer Rashid, who has been pulling a large crowd of youth, has affected the electoral dynamics in these four districts of the Valley.

Rashid has also formed a strategic alliance with ex-members of Jamaat-e-Islami who are fighting elections in these districts.

According to political analysts, Engineer Rashid may not win a seat for his Awami Itihad Party (AIP) in Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian districts, but his "aggressive last moment campaign during the first phase could make winners lose and losers win in these districts".

He is likely to upset the hitherto accepted fault lines of the ongoing electoral competition.

In the Jammu division districts of Ramban, Kishtwar and Doda, the fight is directly between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National Conference-Congress alliance.

Prominent contestants in the first phase are Vikar Rasool Wani, former JKPCC president and senior Congress leader; Iltija Mufti, daughter of former chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti; Sartaj Madini, Mehbooba Mufti's uncle; Abdul Rehman Veeri, senior PDP leader and former minister; Waheed ur Rehman Parra, PDP youth president; M.Y. Tarigami of the CPI-M, Sakina Itoo; senior NC leader and former minister, Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi, former MP and senior NC leader, Khalil Bandh, former minister and National Conference leader; and Mehboob Beg, senior PDP leader.

NC and Congress have forged a pre-poll alliance.

The National Conference is fighting 52 and Congress 31 seats under the alliance arrangement. Both parties have left two seats -- one in Kashmir Valley for the CPI-M and one for Panthers Party in Jammu division.

Unable to reach agreement on 5 seats, both parties have agreed on a friendly contest on those seats.

Voting for the second phase is scheduled on September 25 and for the third and last phase on October 1. Counting will take place on October 8.

Jammu and Kashmir has 90 Assembly seats, 47 in the Kashmir Valley and 43 in the Jammu division. Out of these 9 are ST and 7 SC seats.

/IANS