Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 11: Seventy-five candidates today filed their nominations from 16 constituencies of North Kashmir taking the total number of nominations filed so far to 131.
Those who filed their nominations today include former Minister and NC leader Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan from Handwara constituency; Muneer Ahmad Khan, brother of jailed separatist leader Nayeem Ahmad Khan from Pattan; former Minister and Peoples
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Conference leader Imran Raza Ansari from Pattan; former Minister Taj Mohi-ud-Din as Independent candidate from Uri, Dr Sajjad Shafi Uri from Uri; former NC legislator Saifullah Mir from Trehgam; former NC Minister Nasir Aslam Wani from Kupwara; former Minister and PDP leader Basharat Bukhari from Wagoora-Kreeri and Usman Majid as Independent from Bandipora.
NC leader Choudhary Ramzan said: “My dream has been to make Handwara a district, and once I am in power, I will certainly make it happen. I welcome the decision to grant interim bail to Engineer Rashid.”
The former Jamat-e-Islami member and Independent candidate, Abdul Rehman Shalla told Excelsior that the people are filing their nominations without any fear.
“As you all know there is a ban on JeI, so we have decided to fight as Independent candidates to plead our case in the Assembly. JeI has fought elections in 1972 and have fought Municipal, Panchayat and Assembly elections in the past as well,” he added.
Independent candidate for Sopore constituency, Aarti, a Kashmiri Pandit said that the turmoil in Kashmir needs to end, and peace and brotherhood must be restored. “The perception of Kashmiris being associated with terrorism needs to change. I hope that people will come out of their homes and cast their votes so that prosperity can be restored,” she added.
The NC candidate for Sopore constituency, Irshad Kar told Excelsior that his party’s fight is with New Delhi for its oppressive attitude. “We are fighting for the people and their rights, and we hardly concern ourselves with the opposition. We stand to protect the Constitutional rights of the people,” he added.
Kar said that the NC is the voice of the people. “Anyone who stands against the people will face defeat. It is up to the people to choose whom to support. NC has its agenda, and congress has theirs,” he said.
Yesterday 31 candidates filed nominations from North Kashmir taking the total nominations filed so far to 131.
The seats going to polls in North Kashmir in third phase are Karnah, Trehgam, Kupwara, Lolab, Handwara, Langate, Sopore, Rafiabad, Uri, Baramulla, Gulmarg, Wagoora-Kreeri, Pattan, Sonawari, Bandipora and Gurez (ST).
According to the notification, the last date for filing nominations for this phase is September 12, while the scrutiny of the nomination papers will take place on September 13. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is September 17. The polling will be held on Oct 1.
Nizamuddin joins Cong, contesting from Bandipora
Former Member Legislative Assembly (MLA) Bandipora Nizamuddin Bhat today joined Congress at party headquarters Srinagar.
Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra announced that Bhat will be the NC-Congress alliance candidate for the Bandipora constituency in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Bhat, who left the PDP in 2021, joined People’s Conference and in June this year quit the party.
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