Srinagar- Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Ghulam Nabi Azad will contest the Lok Sabha elections from Anantnag -Rajouri constituency, his party DPAP said.
Azad left the Congress in 2022, ending his five-decade-long association with the party, and floated his own political outfit-Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP).
“Today the core committee of DPAP met and we have decided that (party president) Ghulam Nabi Azad will contest the Anantnag-Rajouri seat,” DPAP leader Taj Mohiuddin told reporters here.
This will be the first Lok Sabha election for Azad after he lost from Udhampur constituency in 2014 to BJP leader Jitendra Singh.
On the possibility of an alliance with the Apni Party of Altaf Bukhari, Mohiuddin said no progress has been made on that front.
“We are short of time and there was not much headway in talks. So it is better they do their bit and we do ours. They were not in any case interested in Anantnag seat,” he added.
Mohiuddin said candidates for other Lok Sabha Seats in Kashmir will be decided in due course.Hailing from Doda, Jammu, Azad embarked on his political journey as the Secretary of the Block Congress Committee in 1973. With his nomination, he brings a wealth of experience, having previously served as a Member of Parliament and held various prominent positions in the government.
The National Conference (NC) has also revealed its candidate for the Anantnag-Rajouri seat, nominating Mian Altaf, a seasoned Gujjar-Pahari leader and five-time MLA, for the upcoming elections. This announcement comes on the heels of the NC’s decision to replace sitting MP Hasnain Masoodi with Altaf.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are yet to unveil their candidates for the coveted seat. Speculations abound regarding the BJP’s potential choice of a Muslim candidate, while the PDP, a member of the India alliance alongside the NC, remains tight-lipped about its electoral strategy.
The Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat, formed post-delimitation, encompasses Rajori and Poonch and is slated for voting in the third phase on May 7. As the election fervor picks up, political parties are gearing up for an intense battle, with nominations set to commence on April 12 and conclude on April 19.
While the NC has declared its intention to contest three Lok Sabha seats in the Kashmir Valley, including Anantnag-Rajouri, the PDP is expected to field candidates for two of the three seats. However, formal announcements from both parties are pending, along with the BJP’s candidate revelation.
The Anantnag seat has historically been a key battleground, witnessing significant electoral contests. Former MP Mehbooba Mufti’s victory in 2014 and subsequent resignation in 2016 triggered prolonged vacancy, with elections delayed for security reasons. In 2019, Hasnain Masoodi clinched victory amidst subdued voter turnout, marking a turning point in the political landscape of the region.
Congress Fields Bhalla From Jammu
Amid support of thousands of Congress workers, Congress candidate Raman Bhalla, filed his nomination for Jammu-Reasi Lok Sabha.
Accompanied by scores of jubilant supporters, Bhalla reached the office of Returning Officer, Sachin Kumar Vaishya and filed his papers in presence of National Conference patron and member of INDI Bloc, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, All India Congress Committee In charge J&K Affairs Bharatsingh Solanki, JK Congress President Vikar Rasool Wani alongwith several senior leaders of JKPCC.
Congress supporters started assembling near Maharaja Hari Singh Park n the morning and then took the shape of procession towards Shaheedi Chowk to DC office.
Later, on way back, while addressing a large gathering at Shaheedi Chowk, Solanki appealed to the people to vote for change and uproot the dictatorial regime of BJP. The people’s participation in large numbers shows the mood of the people and claimed that both Lok Sabha seats of Jammu and Udhampur will be pocketed by the congress party with thumping majority. The people have made up their mind to bring about change at the Centre and the Modi Government will go after elections and INDIA block will form the Government.
Congress candidate Raman Bhalla thanked the people for the huge participation in the rally today from all parts and appealed to throw the arrogant regime out of power for the large interest of poor and common man.
“People of Jammu have suffered a lot and will teach BJP MP and its leaders a lesson through ballot, in this election. He said that congress will come back to solve the problems of common man who are under huge economic distress and facing a lot of hardships due to tax terrorism and price rise, record unemployment and lopsided development” he said.
Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Jugal Kishore Sharma filed his nomination papers. Sharma is seeking re-election from this constituency for the third consecutive term. He was elected to the Lok Sabha from this constituency in 2014 and 2019. The constituency goes to vote on April 26 in the second phase.
Jugal is in the fray to reclaim this seat, straight for the third time. In 2019, he had defeated the Congress candidate Raman Bhalla with a margin of 3,02,875 votes as NC and PDP had not fielded their candidates. In 2014, Jugal had won this seat again defeating Congress candidate Madan Lal Sharma, with a victory margin of 2.57 lakh votes.
Congress has also repeated its nominee i.e., former minister Raman Bhalla, who is a common candidate of I.N.D.I. Alliance of which both National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are constituents. He will file his nomination paper on April 2.
Following delimitation, Jammu parliamentary constituency comprises 18 assembly constituencies which include 11 from Jammu; three from Samba and Reasi district each and one Rajouri’s Kalakote assembly constituency. Total electors are 17.66 lakh.
As per the notification, nomination papers can be filed by candidates or their proposers not later than April 4, 2024. Scrutiny of the nomination papers will take place on April 6, 2024 at 11 am at Deputy Commissioner’s Office Jammu. The candidates have the option to withdraw their candidature on April 8, 2024 until 3 pm. The polling on April 26 will be conducted from 7 am to 6 pm. (with inputs from PTI)
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