National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah, Congress J&K president Tariq Hameed Karra, BJP’s J&K president Ravinder Raina, and jailed Sarjan Barkati on Thursday (September 5, 2024) filed their nomination papers for the upcoming Assembly elections in the Union Territory (UT).
Mr. Abdullah, who had earlier filed his nomination papers from the Ganderbal seat, filed his second nomination papers from the Budgam seat. “Contesting from two seats is not a sign of weakness but of strength and also of the confidence shown by my colleagues in me. A wave in favouring the NC in every nook and corner of J&K. Whether Baramulla, Srinagar or Anantnag, our party is emerging as a dominant political force everywhere,” Mr. Abdullah said.
Congress’ Karra filed his nomination papers from the Central Shalteng seat in Srinagar. He is a joint candidate of the NC-Congress alliance from the seat. “Our alliance is not just about winning elections but sharply focused on preserving the dignity, identity, and rights of the people of J&K. It’s for a noble cause. In case people make a mistake today, they will pay a cost for the next 100 years,” Mr. Karra said.
BJP’s Raina, who was accompanied by senior BJP leader Ram Madhav, filed his papers for the Nowshera seat in the Jammu region. “J&K is witnessing a strong wave in favour of the BJP, evident from our election campaigns. The party will emerge victorious. People of J&K will give a befitting reply to Congress and its alliance,” Mr. Raina said.
Meanwhile, Sarjan Ahmad Wagay aka Sarjan Barkati, who is in jail in a terror finance case, has decided to contest elections from the Ganderbal and the Beerwah seats. Earlier, his nomination was rejected from Zainapora constituency. He became a face of public protests in 2016 for addressing large public rallies in his unique style of high-pitch sloganeering.
“I will fight not only for my father’s release but for all who are languishing in jails. I seek support from people of the Beerwah Assembly segment to support my father in elections,” Sugra Barkati, daughter of the jailed separatist leader, said.
The elections to the 90-seat Assembly will be held in three phases in J&K on September 18, September 25, and October 1.
Published - September 05, 2024 04:18 pm IST
