PDP president and former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti played her biggest political gamble when she jumped into poll fray from Anantnag parliamentary constituency at a time when her party's stocks are down, thanks to 2016 unrest and failed alliance with the BJP.
Mehbooba, 59, is among the 18 candidates trying their luck from this sensitive seat, in a triangular contest with Congress and National Conference (NC).
Both Congress and NC have put up best of candidates. NC has fielded former HC judge Justice Hasnain Masoodi who in 2015 ruled Article 370 of the Constitution cannot be abrogated, Congress has fielded its state chief GA Mir, who lost Dooru assembly constituency to Mehbooba's uncle in 2014.