The Kulgam constituency, one of the most pivotal seats in south Kashmir, has been a CPI(M) stronghold for years, with veteran politician Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami holding the assembly seat for nearly 30 years. Despite ten candidates in the fray, the key battle appears to be between CPI(M)’s Tarigami, People's Conference's Nazir Ahmad Laway (a former PDP member), and independent candidate Sayyar Reshi, who is believed to have the backing of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami. 

 

Kulgam has long been a hub of political ideologies. It has consistently elected a communist leader over the past four assembly elections and was the center of several