Doc faces anti-incumbency on familiar terrain of Udhampur

BJP's Jitendra Singh faces Lal Singh of Cong and G M Saroori of DPAP in 3-cornered fight

- FAYAZ WANI

UNLIKE 2019 when Modi wave swept across the Lok Sabha polls in Jammu region and BJP candidate Dr Jitendra Singh won Udhampur seat with a huge margin, the MoS at PMO is battling anti-incumbency this time. And the entry of Congress candidate Lal Singh in the poll fray has made the contest interesting and the voting can also spring a surprise. The seat goes to polls in the first phase on Friday.

Although three candidates are in fray Dr Jitendra Singh of BJP, Lal Singh of Congress and G M Saroori of DPAP the main battle is between Jitendra Singh and Lal Singh.

"It will be a close fight this time. It is a neck-and-neck fight. The entry of Lal Singh has made the contest tough for Jitendra Singh," said Suresh, a resident of Kathua, the hometown of Congress candidate Lal Singh. He said that there is resentment against Jitendra Singh for remaining disconnected with the voters after the 2019 parliamentary polls.

"Everybody is complaining about it. Everybody wanted him to not be repeated after remaining an MP for 10 years.