Mehbooba’s daughter, Rashid’s brother likely to contest election

Adil Akhzer

Srinagar, August 17

As the Election Commission (EC) announced the Assembly elections after a gap of six years on Friday, the political parties in Jammu and Kashmir are all set to announce their candidates. Leaders of various political parties said on Saturday that names of the candidates have been finalised and these would be announced in a few days.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesperson Tahir Sayed told The Tribune that the party was ready for the elections and the list of its candidates would be released in the next two days. “Our focus is Kashmir, Pir Panjal and Chenab valley,” he added.

Party chief and former CM Mehbooba Mufti is unlikely to contest the Assembly poll. Sources claim that the PDP might project Mufti’s daughter Iltija Mufti — who is likely to contest from South Kashmir — as the party’s face in the elections.

The Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) leaders said the party would give chance to new faces. AIP leader Prince Parvaiz said the party would release candidates’ names on Monday. He added that it was almost confirmed that jailed MP Engineer Rashid’s brother Sheikh Khursheed will contest the Assembly poll, most likely from North Kashmir. “We will contest from all seats in Kashmir,” he added.

National Conference (NC) leaders said they were in process to finalise candidates’ names. Party president Farooq Abdullah is all set to lead the party and would also contest the election. NC vice-president Omar Abdullah, who had been consistently saying that he will not contest elections till the return of statehood, has hinted that final call about him contesting the polls will be taken by the party.

The Apni Party will also release the name of the candidates early next week. Party leader Ashraf Mir said the party was contesting almost all seats in the UT and would announce the candidates in coming days. The party had faced an embarrassing defeat in the recent Lok Sabha elections and is now making efforts to shun the ‘BJP’s proxy’ tag. “As of now we are not going to have any pre-poll alliance with anyone,” Mir said.

Sources said the party president Altaf Bukhari was likely to contest from Uri and also from Chanapora segment.

The Congress would mainly focus on the Jammu region and announce its candidates for the phase first by next week. Asked whether the party was in talks for a poll alliance, senior party leader Tariq Hameed told The Tribune that nothing concrete had happened till date. Karra was named as the new J&K Pradesh Congress Committee president on Friday

BJP leaders in J&K are also in touch with the leadership in Delhi as the party is expected to announce candidates soon.

The UT will see voting in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1. The counting will be held on October 4. During the 2014 Assembly poll, the PDP had won 28 seats, BJP 25 seats, Congress 12, and J&K National Conference 15 in a House of 87 seats. After the limitation process, the seats have been increased to 90.

Omar vows to pass statehood order

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, in its first order of business after elections, will pass a resolution against the Centre’s decision to strip the region of its statehood and special status. — Omar Abdullah, vice-president, National Conference