At a glance: 9 Muslim women candidates from Kashmir valley contesting J&K assembly polls

Out of all the candidates contesting Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Polls for 46 seats of Kashmir valley , only nine are women. Some of these women are sitting MLAs, while most of them are new to politics. These women have entered the battle zone out of keen interest and some on the other hand view politics as an antidote to their ailing wounds caused by the brutal norms of the society or their own misfortune. Whatever may be the reason, they are here, ready to give in their best fight.Hina Bhatt, is the most popular woman face of the BJP in Kashmir valley. This dentist turned politician is contesting elections for the first time and has already gained widespread popularity owing to her bold remark on picking up arms if Atricle 370 is revoked from Kashmir although she retracted the statement later on. This statement had obviously raised eye brows as revoking Article 370 has been BJP's pivotal agenda in Kashmir throughout the party's political journey .Most of these women have their own interesting story and reason for entering politics.Here goes the list of these nine brave women of Kashmir who are contesting state Assembly Polls:1. Sakina ItooSakina Itoo is a sitting MLA of the National Conference and is recontesting from Noorabad.She is also Jammu and Kashmir's Social Welfare Minister and the only woman minister in the Omar Abdullah Cabinet.Sakina previously got involved in a controversy when a video went viral that showed her asking an old man to support her during the elections. "I am like your daughter, you take oath with Quran in your hands that you will support us in the elections like in the past”.Sakina Itoo was born on December 5, 1970. She is Social Welfare, ARI & Training, Public Grievances Minister.2. Suraya Bano:She is 41 years old and is contesting elections on RPI ticket from Lolab Assembly constituency.Suraya Bano is a resident of Wazir Bagh in Srinagar but she hails from Lolab. Her husband, Lt Ahmad Bhat, recently passed away. He was a Congress worker.She is now left with three daughters and a son. Suraya Bano was married off at a very early age. When she was 16 years old her parents got her married. She tried contuing her education after that but was forced to quit.Her motive behind contesting these elections is to work for the betterment of women. She promises them proper education. “I don't want other women to get married so young and quit studies,” like I had too.Previously she had approached the Congress party but was denied ticket. Hence she chose Republican Party of India (RPI).3. Asiya NaqashFor Naqash, this is not the first time that she is contesting. In 2008, she had contested and lost against National Conference president Farooq Abdullah. Naqash is contesting from Hazratbal Assembly Constituency and is the only woman candidate fielded by Mehbooba Mufti's PDP in the current elections.Asiya Naqash is 45 years old and a law graduate from Kashmir University.She has strong political links in the PDP and is a sister-in-law of a senior PDP leader, MP Tariq Hameed Karra.Naqash was a social worker before she switched to politics.“Having done social work, I have got a grasp of the problems of people on the ground,” she says. “I believe that these problems can only be solved only once you are in government”. 4. Rashida MirRashida Mir is an independent candidate from Kulgam Assembly constituency.This 38 years old, budding politician is wife of an IAS officer and has a daughter too.As a student, she was greatly inspired by Mehbooba Mufti. She was often awestruck listening to Mehbooba Mufti addressing rallies in Kulgam. While watching her speak, Rashida would think, “if she can do it, why can't I”?Rashida Mir is a diploma holder in Civil Engineering. She is contesting elections on her because like many others she was unsuccessful in spotting a clean party.“I would have liked to join a party but is there a clean party? There is dynastic rule everywhere. In the PDP it is father and daughter; in the National Conference and the Congress it is father and son.”Her agenda is to fight against rising rape cases and stopping dowry.5. Haneefa BegumWidow of a soldier in the BSF, Haneefa Begum is contesting from Handwara on JK People's Peace Front ticket.Her husband and two year old son died in a landmine explosion in 2003. She now lives with her daughter who is 15 years old at Kralpora in Handwara.“I have struggled for a decade and want to help all women so that none of them suffers. I sold my gold ornaments and property to campaign for the elections,” says Haneefa.Haneefa, who is 36 years old, had contested elections in 2008 too, on BSP ticket.Her daughter, Ruqaya Hasim dislikes politics but yet she campaigning for her mother, going from door to door to convince people.6. Hina BhatDr Hina Bhat is a veteran dentist in Jammu and Kashmir. She is also BJP candidate for the J&K Assembly polls from Amira Kadal Assembly constituency.Apart from the fact that she is a new face in politics, Bhat has recently been in media limelight for making a controversial statement on Article 370 that goes against the traditional stand of the party on this sensitive issue.Hina Bhat said that Article 370 was all about Kashmir's identity.“If Article 370 is aborogated, then I will be the first one to pick up the gun” stated Bhat as she waved aside claims of it being BJP's main agenda.Hina had , however, retracted this statement later on. She is also the Vice President of the BJP's women wing in the state.Her father, Muhammad Shafi Bhat was a senior leader of National Conference.In the 16th Lok Sabha elections, Hina found herself impressed by what Narendra Modi had to say. She was further impressed when she saw him in action. It was the time she considered joining the party.Hina felt that since the time BJP formed the government at the centre, they had done what they had said. She concluded that they wanted to handle Kashmir issue with democratic means and above all “Kashmiryat”.Hence she volunteered to contribute to the party and eventually got a ticket from her father's constituency.Earlier Hina quit her job as a dental surgeon at the SKIMS medical college a few years ago to do social work. Now she has entered politics.7. Dr Darakhshan AndrabiDr Darakhshan Andrabi is BJP candidate contesting against Omar Abdullah in Sonawar.She was the President of Socialistic Democratic Party. She is an author too. Her writings have been published in many leading journals and magazines of India. She has composed poems and also written extensively for defence forces. Four of her books have been published.Darakhshan Andrabi worked as Editor Sheeraza, the bi-monthly Urdu journal of J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages. She has achieved many awards including Rani Laxmi Bai Award and Vandemataram Samman.She was also honored with annual literary award "Khillat-e-Noor" this year. The award was given to Darakhshan for her portrayal of the great spiritual traditions of Kashmir in her poetry of the modern genre.Andrabi is quite active in social media too.8. Shamima FirdousShamima Firdous is a sitting MLA of Habbakadal Assembly constituency. She is recontesting from the same seat. Firdous is a senior leader of the National Conference (NC). Last year Omar Abdullah's government appointed her as Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir State Commission for Women with the status of a Minister of State. As MLA she constructed 47 metre long Syed Ali Akbar footbridge constructed at a cost of Rs One crore in her constituency.She claims that the pace of development in Habbakadal constituency has been speeded up and several Roads, Community Hall, Recreation Park and schools have been constructed and opened for the people.Firdous' election agenda is women upliftment. She says, “Without strict and honest action, the grave issue of violence against women cannot be addressed effectively.”9. Mehbooba ShadabShe is an independent candidate contesting from Baamaloo Assembly constituency. Mehbooba, aged 54, is a resident of Sonawar in Srinagar.She has already contested two parliamentary elections in the past both as a National Conference candidate as well as an Independent candidate.Unfortunately she lost on both occasions. Mehbooba intends to make a fresh start by contesting again as an Independent candidate.She contested her first election in 1996 and second one in 2009.Mehbooba Shadab is a post graduate in Psychology from Kashmir University.Her reason for contesting independently is because, as she puts it, her people have asked her to do do. She says, “people in my constituency asked me”. They have been betrayed by all parties, and don't want me to join any of them. I will serve the people and solve all their problems.”Mehbooba Shadab has been enthusiastic about politics since her school days and had always wanted to contest elections.