The constituency, where polling has been postponed from September 18 to October 4 due to the killing of BJP candidate Ghulam Hyder Noorani, is likely to witness a keen electoral battle, with political stalwarts-Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Ali Mohammad Naik (National Conference)-expected to have a direct contest among 16 candidates.

Sayeed, member of the dissolved Lok Sabha who recently quit Congress to float his People's Democratic Party (PDP), is pitted against Naik, with whom he joined hands in 1984 to topple the then Farooq Abdullah government.

Sayeed, who in the 1998 elections defeated his nearest NC rival MY Teng by a margin of 52,000 votes in the constituency having over eight lakh electorate, can expect a tough fight from Naik, revenue minister in the state.

Comprising 16 assembly segments spread over two districts of Anantnag and Pulwama, the constituency has seen intense campaigning by all political parties, even as militants made desperate attempts to stall the electoral process and enforce their poll boycott call.

Campaigning, however, almost came to a standstill at one stage after the killing of Noorani in a land-mine blast and attempts on lives of other leaders including Sayeed, his daughter and candidate from Srinagar, Mehbooba Mufti and former Union minister Mohammad Maqbool Dar.

BJP had to field a replacement for Noorani in surrendered militant-turned-politician Shoukat Hussain Wani. Dar, former Union minister of state for home (JD-U), Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami (CPM) and Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed (Cong) are the other candidates in fray.

Ruling National Conference, which suffered a drubbing last time at the hands of the then Congress candidate, Sayeed, persuaded the reluctant Naik to stand against the member of the dissolved Lok Sabha this time as Mohammad Yousuf Teng, a literary figure, failed to woo the voters in 1998.

Dar, who made his maiden entry into Lok Sabha from this constituency in 1996 elections, which were boycotted by NC, is nowhere in the race this time. Sayeed scraped through in 1998 mainly because of the work done by his daughter, Mehbooba Mufti, who resigned as MLA recently.

Another major factor, which helped sayeed last time and is likely to prop up his chances this time too, is his proclaimed reconciliatory policy regarding separatists. He has been able to gain attention of NC detractors this time too.

Naik also wields considerable influence in some assembly segments including his native Tral, which returned him to the assembly four times. Besides, he was runner-up in the 1980 Lok Sabha polls as an Independent candidate, bagging 95,050 votes against 1,79,020 by NC candidate Ghulam Rasool Kochak.The Anantnag constituency comprises influential pockets of hardliners, be it the Leftists or the rightist Jamaat-e-Islami, who are likely to go for strategic and en bloc voting this time.

Besides, the surrendered militants, who continue to hold sway over people in parts of south Kashmir, could also be a major factor.

Besides, vote-banks of Pandit migrants, Gujjar tribesmen and Paharis are being cultivated by various parties. The constituency was considered a stronghold of Congress before Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah-led NC entered the electoral contest in 1977.

In 1996 when parliamentary elections were held in the state after a gap of nearly eight years, MM Dar of Janata Dal defeated Congress candidate Taj Mohiuddin, and in 1998 Mufti Mohammad Sayeed won the seat for the Congress again. In Jammu & Kashmir these are the eighth elections as till 1967 nominated members used to be sent to the Lok Sabha from the state.