Sanjeev Pargal/
Fayaz Bukhari
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Nov 5: In a surprise move, ruling National Conference has not fielded candidates for two Assembly segments of Ladakh region including Leh and Zanskar and dropped both sitting MLAs in Kargil district including Chief Minister’s Advisor with Cabinet rank Qamar Ali Akhoon from Kargil and Minister of State for Education Feroz Khan from Zanskar while a total of 150 candidates have joined fray for first phase of polling in 15 Assembly segments of the State, which goes to polls on November 25.
Nominations for the first phase closed today. The papers will be subjected to scrutiny on November 7 and the candidates can withdraw their nominations till November 10.
Official sources told the Excelsior that 75 candidates filed nomination papers for six seats of Jammu region in Ramban, Kishtwar and Doda districts while 20 candidates joined the battle of ballots for four seats of Ladakh region in Leh and Kargil districts. Fifty five candidates filed papers for five seats of Kashmir Valley-two in Ganderbal and three in Bandipora districts.
Several bigwigs including sitting Ministers Abdul Mujeed Wani (Doda) and Vikar Rasool Wani (Banihal), Mohammad Sharief Niaz, CLP leader (Bhaderwah) and Ashok Kumar Bhagat (Ramban), all from Congress, Minister of State for Home, Industries and Commerce Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo (Kishtwar), BJP leaders Sunil Sharma (Kishtwar) and Neelam Langeh (Ramban) and PDP leader Firdous Tak (Kishtwar) joined the battle of ballots on last day of filing of the papers today.
BJP leader and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh accompanied BJP leaders in Kishtwar and Ramban in filing nomination papers while Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad joined Congress leaders in Doda and Bhaderwah in filing the papers.
Meanwhile, ruling National Conference has sprung a surprise by not fielding any candidate in two out of four Assembly segments of Ladakh region-Leh and Zanskar and denying party mandate to Chief Minister’s Advisor Qamar Ali Akhoon in Kargil and MoS Feroz Khan in Zanskar. The NC had earlier declared that it will contest all 87 Assembly seats in the State. Even the PDP has not fielded any candidate in Leh.
Urban Development Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora, a two times MLA from Leh and BJP candidate Cherring Dorjey, who had won the seat in 1996 on Congress mandate and also served as Chief Executive Councilor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh will be involved in direct contest for Leh seat, which goes to polls on November 25.
Jora and Dorjey, who had already filed their nomination papers, today again filed second set of papers for Leh seat while Gyal Phunchuk Wangyal filed papers as covering candidate for the BJP. Other major political parties including NC, PDP and BSP have not put up any candidate in Leh seat. While Jora had won Leh seat in 2002 and 2008, BJP had gained substantial lead in the Assembly segment in May 2014 Lok Sabha elections with party candidate Thupstan Chhewang winning the Parliamentary election.
In Nobra segment of Leh district, eight candidates filed nomination papers on the last day taking total number of candidates to 9.
Nine candidates in fray for Nobra segment, which is presently held by NC’s Tsetan Namgayal, are Namgayal (NC), Geltan Namgayal (Congress), Stenzing Geleh (BJP), Tashi Gyaltson (PDP), Tsewang Rigzin, Nissar Hussain, Mohammad Ibrahim (all Independent), Tashi Dorjey (covering candidate for BJP) and Sonam Sopagn (covering candidate for Congress).
In Kargil, former Minister and Chief Minister’s Advisor Qamar Ali Akhoon has been replaced by Dr Kachoo Mohammad Hussain, a prominent surgeon by the ruling NC. Akhoon, however, told the Excelsior that he has himself opted out of the fray and decided not to contest from either Kargil or Zanskar Assembly constituencies.
Congress has fielded sitting CEC LAHDC, Kargil, Haji Asgar Ali Karbalaie while retired Tehsildar Abdul Aziz Bhat has joined the fray on BJP mandate and Haji Anayat Ali, former president of Islamiya School Kargil’s youth wing as PDP nominee. All four of them filed their nomination papers today.
In Zanskar segment of Kargil district, NC has not joined the fray but there were reports that it could support Independent candidate Aga Syed Baqar. NC leader and MoS Education Feroz Khan is sitting MLA from Zanskar.
Former MLA Ghulam Raza (Congress), Stanzen Lakpa (BJP) and Ghulam Mohammad (PDP) also filed their nomination papers today for Zanskar constituency.
In Kishtwar district, two times NC MLA and MoS Home Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo, BJP leader Sunil Sharma and PDP candidate Firdous Tak were among six candidates who filed their nomination papers today taking total number of contestants for Kishtwar Assembly segment to 11.
BJP MP from Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seat and MoS in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh joined a massive rally taken out by the BJP as a show of strength for Sunil Sharma when he filed his papers before the Returning Officer in Kishtwar today.
Dr Singh said the BJP was well poised to achieve its Mission 44+ in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time. He said the BJP will take an appropriate decision after outcome of the elections if its falls short of majority.
“We will cross the bridge when it comes,” he declared
Dr Singh said, the twin constituencies of Kishtwar and Inderwal seriously deserve to be represented in the Assembly by BJP MLAs because Kishtwar is a communally sensitive place and BJP is the only party which has equal reverence and respect for all the religions and faiths.
“The BJP cadre in Kishtwar has always maintained extraordinary tolerance and calm even in the face of worst provocation which has helped sustain the composite character of this district,” he added.
Referring to various development works undertaken during the last five months of Narendra Modi Government at Centre, Dr Singh said that the peripheral district of Kishtwar is high on the priority of the BJP agenda and long pending demands like construction of an airport and introduction of Kishtwari language radio news bulletin have been put forward by the local unit of BJP from time to time and if BJP MLAs are elected from these two constituencies, they shall be able to pursue these and other demands more vigorously.
Eleven candidates now in fray for Kishtwar segments included Sajjad Kitchloo (NC), Sunil Sharma (BJP), Firdous Tak (PDP), Nek Ram (Congress), Des Raj (BSP), Ajaj Ahmed Naik (NCP), Sanjay Kumar Sharma (JKNPP), Mohammad Amin Butt (Janata Dal-Secular), Gulzar Ahmad and Jaswant Singh (both Independent).
Ten candidates joined fray for Inderwal Assembly segment in Kishtwar district today taking total number of contestants to 13.
The contenders for the seat included Congress sitting MLA Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, former Minister, who has been trying for hat-trick having won the seat twice earlier, Abdul Majid Butt (PDP), Chowdhary Salam Din (NC), Tariq Hussain Keen (BJP), Jyoti Prakash (BSP), Shahnawaz Ahmed (JKPP), Tanveer Hussain (Rashtriya Krantikari Samajwadi Party), Imtiyaz Ahmed (JKNPP), Farooq Keen, Lakhmi Chand, Jabar Singh, Abdul Majid Ganai and Ashiq Hussain (all Independents).
A total of 17 candidates have joined fray in Ramban district including nine for Ramban (Reserve) Assembly segment and eight for Banihal constituency.
Four candidates today filed nomination papers for Banihal Assembly segment including sitting MLA and Minister of State for Power Vikar Rasool Wani (Congress), Sajjad Shaheen (NC), Sewa Singh Bali (NPP) and Ghulam Rasool Tantray (Republican Party of India). Four candidates, who had already filed their papers for the seat were Bashir Ahmed Runiyal (PDP), Showkat Daing (BJP), Mohammad Ali Sohail (BSP) and Bahaar Ahmad Runiyal (covering candidate for PDP).
In Ramban (Reserve) seat, six candidates today filed nomination papers including sitting MLA Ashok Kumar Bhagat (Congress), Neelam Langeh (BJP), former MLA Dr Chaman Lal (NC), Prithvi Raj Bhagat (BSP), Suresh Kumar (NPP) and Nand Lal (Liberal Democratic Party). Three candidates, who had already filed their papers in Ramban, were Amrit Varsha (Samajwadi Party), Swami Raj Bhagat (PDP) and Girdhari Lal (Independent).
Twenty seven candidates filed nomination papers in Doda district including 14 for Bhaderwah segment and 13 for Doda.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and former J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today accompanied Works Minister Abdul Mujeed Wani and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mohammad Sharief Niaz in filing their nomination papers in Doda and Bhaderwah segments in massive rallies.
Azad declared that the Congress will perform very well in the Assembly elections as it was only this party which can ensure balanced development of all three regions of the State.
Thirteen candidates in fray for Doda seat included Abdul Mujeed Wani, a two times MLA from Congress, former Minister Khalid Najib Suhrawardhy NC), Shakti Raj Parihar (BJP), Shabul Haq and Riaz Hussain Mintoo (both PDP), Urfi Mujeed Wani (covering candidate for Congress), Chuni Lal (BSP), Mohammad Ali Shokeen, Nazat Iqbal Zargar, Daya Krishan, Mohammad Yousaf Rather, Farooq Ahmad Dar and Rajinder Singh (all Independents).
Fourteen candidates in contest for Bhaderwah seat are CLP leader Mohammad Sharief Niaz (Congress), Daleep Singh Parihar (BJP), Sheikh Mehboob Iqbal (PDP), Riaz Anyatullah Bhaderwahi (NC), Neeraj Singh (NPP), Sanjay Kumar Bhagat (BSP), Bhuri Singh (NCP), Narinder Kumar (CPI), Bankay Lal Sharma (LDP), Mohammad Shaffi (Samajwadi Party), Mehraj-ud-Din Malik (JKALF), Reyaz Ahmad Zargar, Kuldeep Singh Charak and Om Prakash Kotwal (all Independents).
Meanwhile, 55 candidates filed nominations from five Assembly constituencies of North and Central Kashmir that are going to polls on November 25. The nominations for these constituencies was issued on October 28.
According to District Election Officer Bandipora, 30 candidates have filed nominations from Gurez, Bandipora and Sonawari Assembly constituencies.
Four candidates have filed nominations from border constituency of Gurez in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district which is presently represented by Nazir Ahmad Khan of National Conference. The candidates who filed nominations are Nazir Ahmad Khan son of Hamidullah Khan of Badwan from NC, Mohammad Ismail son of Abdul Rehman Lone of Wanpora from People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Faqir Mohammad Khan son of Juma Khan of Gujran Tulail from Congress and Ghulam Rasool Bhat son of Ghulam Mohammad Bhat of Dasi Gulshanpora Bagtoor as Independent candidate.
Sixteen candidates have filed nominations from Bandipora Assembly Constituency that is presently presented by the PDP MLA, Nizamuddin Bhat. The candidates who filed nominations are Mohammad Ismail Bhat son of Abdul Aziz Bhat of Peopl’s Conference of Bandipora, Ghulam Ahmad Bhat son of Assadullah Bhat of Aragam Independent, Nizamuddin Bhat son of Ghulam Qadir Bhat of Kaloosa Nathpora Bandipora from PDP, Usman Abdul Majid son of Abdul Kabir Ganaie of Garoora Bandipora from Congress, Mohammad Shafi Khan son of Mohammad Yousuf Khan of Watrina Lawaypora as Independent candidate, Nazir Ahmad Malik son of Late Sunaullah of Lawdara Bandipora from Awami Itehad Party, Ghulam Mohammad Lone son of Ghulam Ahmad Lone of Lankreshipora Bandipora covering candidate of Awami Itehad Party, Mohammad Abdullah Wani son of Mohammad Ahsan Wani of Nadihal Bandipora of NC, Ahmadullah Malik son of Abdul Rahim of Chittaybanday Bandipora of NC, Javaid Ahmad Shah son of Abdul Aziz Shah of Dragmullah Kupwara from BSP, Bashir Ahmad Wani son of Assadullah Wani from Nadihal Bandipora from Gareeb Aadmi Party (GAP), Professor Mohammad Shafi Mir son of Mohammad Akram Mir of Ward No 4 Bandipora as Independent, Sheikh Waseem Bari son of Sheikh Bashir Ahmad of Muslim Abad Bandipora as Independent, Abdul Rehman Thikri son of Fazal Din Gojar Thikri of Malangam Bandipora from BJP, Manzoor Ahmad Baba son of Mohammad Qasim Baba of Soinim Pattan Baramulla from Kissan Mazdoor Party, Mohammad Iqbal Zargar son of Mohammad Maqbool Zargar of Malangam Bandipora from All India Forward Block.
Ten candidates filed nominations from Sonawari constituency of Bandipora which is represented by Mohammad Akbar Lone of NC. Those who filed nominations are Mohammad Akbar Lone son of Abdul Gani Lone of Naidkhai from NC, Yasir Reshi son of Mohammad Yousuf Reshi of Nesbal from PDP, Imtiyaz Ahmad Parray son of Mohammad Yousuf of Hajin from NC, Younus Qawam son of Quam-ud-din Sheikh of Shilwath as Independent, Mohammad Yaseen Butt son of Abdul Gaffar Bhat of Safapora from PDP, Nazir Ahmad Wani son of Abdul Rahim Wani of Shadipora as Independent candidate, Ghulam Rasool Malik son of Abdul Rehman of Khahpora Baramulla from National Panthers Party, Ashiq Ahmad Dar son Abdul Rahim Dar of Shalgam as Independent, Quamuddin son of Abdul Rashid Sheikh of Shilwath as Independent, Ghulam Mohammad Parray son of Ghulam Nabi Parray of Hajin as Independent.
According to District Election Officer Ganderbal, 25 candidates have filed nominations from Ganderbal and Kangan Assembly constituencies.
Fifteen candidates filed nominations from Ganderbal constituency which is presently represented by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Omar is not contesting from this constituency as he has shifted to Beerwah and Sonawar. Those who filed nominations from Ganderbal are Ghulam Ahmad Saloora from AIP, Mohammad Yousuf Bhat from Congress, Qazi Mohammad Afzal from PDP, Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar from NC, Sheikh Rashid from BJP, Abdul Majeed Dhobi from PC, Ali Mohammad Shah as Independent, Ali Mohammad Baba of NPP, Nazir Ahmad Lone of DPN, Javid Ahmad Khan as Independent, Mir Ghulam Rasool as Independent, Showkat Sheikh as Independent, Hilal Ahmad Dar as Independent, Bilal Ahmad Khanday as Independent and Nuzhat Ishfaq covering candidate for NC.
Ten candidates filed nominations from Kangan constituency of Ganderbal district which is presently represented by Mian Altaf of NC. Those who filed nominations are Mian Altaf Ahmad from NC, Bashir Ahmad Mir from PDP, Nazir Ahmad Raina from BJP, Aijaz Ahmad Sheikh from Congress, Abdul Rashid Gania from NPP, Shoukat Hussain Khan from KDF, Mushtaq Ahmad Shah from PC, Mohammad Sultan Lone from BSF, Shabir Ahmad Mir from Kissan Mazdoor Party and Ghulam Hassan Rather as Independent.
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