Srinagar, Apr 18 (UNI) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference (NC) leader Mian Altaf on Thursday filed nomination papers for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat.
This has virtually set the stage for a direct fight between NC and PDP- which till recently were constituents of the Opposition INDIA alliance.
While Ghulam Nabi Azad, Chairman of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party, has decided not to contest from the constituency, the BJP has yet not announced a candidate for the seat.
The last date to file the nominations in the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat is April 19
The first to file nomination papers on Thursday was influential Gujjar leader and NC candidate Mian Altaf. He was accompanied by party Vice President Omar Abdullah and General Secretary All India Congress Committee (AICC) Ghulam Ahmed Mir.
“ Mian Altaf sahib is the joint candidate of INDIA bloc and he is the best candidate and we are hopeful that he wins with a huge margin from Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat,” Congress leader Mir told reporters in Anantnag.
Mir said that PDP president Mehbooba Mufti contesting the polls was not a setback for the INDIA bloc.
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah hoped that with the support of every party, the INDIA alliance candidate would win by a huge margin.
“On behalf of the party president Farooq (Abdullah) sahib, I thank Mir sb who came from Delhi leaving his busy engagements to be present here when Altaf sb filed his nomination party,” Omar said.
PDP President Mehbooba Mufti accompanied by her daughter Iltija and other senior party leaders submitted her nomination papers to the Returning Officer.
Before filing her nomination, she visited the grave of her father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, at Bijbehara in Anantnag.
“At Dara Shikoh. Missing my father the most today,” she posted on social media.
After filing the nominations, Mufti appealed to people not to boycott the polls as the general elections are not about “bijli, paani, sadak” and it is to stand against the "assault" launched on “dignity, identity, land and resources" of Jammu and Kashmir after 2019.
" This is not about NC and PDP or any other party. The issue right now is that Jammu and Kashmir has been turned into an open-air prison. Today all our resources and land are being snatched from us and an attempt is being made to turn us into bonded labourers. We will not allow this to happen to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. This land and jobs in this land belong to us. We will not allow the attacks on our identity,” she said.
“ For that, I appeal to all people of Jammu and Kashmir that they should not boycott the elections. In south Kashmir, they are trying to enforce a boycott. Their conspiracies should be exposed. Come out and vote for the candidate that you feel will raise the voice for oppressed people," she said.
Apni Party candidate Zaffar Manhas also submitted his nominations for the Anantnag Rajouri parliamentary seat.
"The public will ultimately decide the outcome of an election, and there are no big or small candidates," he said, adding people can't forget those who committed wrongs in the past 70 years.
UNI MJR BD