BJP has not fielded candidate; Punjab's Baldev Kumar is first outsider to contest LS polls in J&K
Srinagar, Apr 19: A total of 25 candidates have submitted nomination papers from Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency, which will go to polls on May 7, officials said on Friday.
“A total of 28 nomination papers have been received. Three candidates have submitted two nomination papers each, so we have 25 candidates,” Anantnag Deputy Commissioner Syed Fakhruddin, who is the returning officer of the constituency, said.
He said the scrutiny of the nomination papers will be done on Saturday. April 22 is the last date for withdrawal of nominations.
The allotment of poll symbols will be done on April 23, Fakhruddin said.
The key candidates from the constituency are former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, senior National Conference (NC) leader Mian Altaf, Zaffar Iqbal Manhas of the Apni Party and Mohammad Saleem Parray of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP).
There are also candidates from smaller political parties and several independents, including the first non-Kashmiri person to contest an election in Jammu and Kashmir.
Baldev Kumar, a resident of Punjab's Mohali who is currently residing in Jammu Tawi, has submitted his nomination from the constituency, “making him the first non-Kashmiri to contest polls in the Union Territory.
The counting of votes will be taken up on June 4.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party has not fielded any candidate in the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat in Kashmir. The last date to submit the nomination papers for the constituency ended on Friday.
Recently at a rally in Jammu, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had hinted at not fielding candidates for three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir. However, the BJP cadre in south Kashmir is baffled at the party decision of not contesting polls.
National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah hit out at BJP saying the party has not left the ground in Kashmir but was commanding the situation from the back.
The NC leader alleged that BJP was supporting “proxy candidates” in Kashmir.
“Had BJP left the ground it would have some meaning, but this is not the case ? They are commanding the situation from the back”, Omar asserted on Friday.
There are over 18 lakh voters in the Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary constituency which is spread from Anantnag in south Kashmir to Poonch in Pir Panjal after delimitation.
