Srinagar- National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah will contest the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections from the Ganderbal segment, the party said on Tuesday, in what marks a U-turn for the former chief minister who had vowed to not fight for a seat in the legislature of a union territory.
The party released a list of 32 candidates which included Omar Abdullah for the Ganderbal assembly seat, a constituency that he represented from 2009 to 2014 when he was the chief minister of the NC-Congress coalition government.
Omar Abdullah had dropped hints on Monday that he is likely to reconsider his decision of not contesting the polls.
Speaking to media after the NC and Congress announced their seat-sharing arrangement on Monday, Omar Abdullah said he does not want to send out a “wrong signal” by asking his party colleagues to contest and the people to cast their votes for an assembly “that I may be suggesting that I look down upon”.
“I am conscious of one thing which I had not thought over fully, which is my mistake. If I was not ready to contest an election for an assembly, how can I get the people ready to vote for that assembly?
“How can I hope that my colleagues will seek votes for an assembly which I am not ready to accept or may be suggesting that I look down upon? It has put a pressure on me and I do not want to give a wrong signal to the people,” he said.
Moreover, Mian Mehar Ali will contest the polls from Kangan (ST) while Salam Ali Sagar will contest from Hazratbal, Ali Mohammad Sagar from Khanyar, Shameema Firdous from Habba Kadal, Ahsan Pardesi from Lal Chowk, Mushtaq Guroo from Chanapora, Tanvir Sadiq from Zadibal, Mubarak Gull from Eidgah, Saif-ud-Din Bhat from Khan Sahib, Abdul Raheem Rather from Charar-e-Sharif, Ali Mohammad Dar from Chadoora, Er Khursheed from Gulab Garh (ST), Yashu Vardhan Singh from Kalakote/Sunderbani, Surinder Chowdary from Nowshera, Javid Chowdary from Budhal (ST), Ajaz Ahmad Khan from Poonch Haveli, Javid Rana from Mendhar (ST), Javid Mirchal from Karnah, Mir Saif ullah from Trehgam, Nasir Aslam Wani (Sogam) from Kupwara, Qaiser Jamsheed Lone from Lolab, Chowdary Mohamad Ramzan from Handwara, Irshad Rasool Kar from Sopore, Javid Ahmad Dar from Rafiabad, Dr. Sajad Shafi Uri from Uri, Javid Hussain Beigh from Baramulla, Farooq Ahmad Shah from Tangmarg, Javid Reyaz Bedar from Pattan, Hilal Akbar Lone from Sonawari, Nazir Ahmad Gurezi from Gurez(ST) and Ajay Kumar Sadhotra from Jammu North.
Pertinently, NC is contesting from 51 seats while Congress will field candidates from 32 seats. Besides, there will friendly contest on five seats while one each has been given to CPI (M) and Panthers Party.
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