Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 29: Sixteen candidates including former Minister Jitender Singh alias Babu Singh, a Congress candidate from Kathua and BJP’s Rajesh Gupta (Jammu East) today filed nomination papers for fifth and final phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections.
Eighteen Assembly segments of Jammu region including 11 of Jammu district, five from Kathua and four of Rajouri will go to polls on December 20 while December 3 is last date for filing of nomination papers.
Former Minister of State for Finance in 2002 Government, Jitender Singh alias Babu Singh filed his papers from Kathua Assembly constituency. Babu Singh had won Kathua seat in 2002 but lost it to Independent Charanjit Singh Jasrotia in 2008. Jasrotia had filed his papers as an Independent candidate yesterday.
Rajesh Gupta, BJP candidate from Jammu East today filed his nomination papers before the Returning Officer after taking out a massive rally in the City, which among others was joined by Haryana’s Education Minister Ramvilas Sharma, BJP state president and Lok Sabha MP Jugal Kishore Sharma, BJP Incharge J&K Avinash Rai Khanna, MP, Ashok Khajuria, sitting MLA from Jammu East and Rajni Sethi, incharge Jammu East constituency.
Sitting NC MLA from Kalakote, Rashpal Singh and Ashok Sharma (Congress) filed their papers from Kalakote seat while BSP nominee Sheeraz Begam filed papers from Darhal seat.
BJP has replaced Khajuria and given mandate to Rajesh Gupta from Jammu East this time. Khajuria had won the East seat in 1998 by-election but lost it to Yogesh Sawhney of Congress in 2002. However, he had regained the seat in 2008.
Dr Anil Dhar, who had taken voluntary retirement from the Government services as Associate Professor of Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu to join politics, today filed his papers as Independent candidate from Jammu West Assembly constituency.
Two candidates filed their papers from Suchetgarh Assembly seat. They were Harjeet Kumar of BSP and Ranjit Singh (Independent). Krishan Lal Dingra of JKNPP filed his papers from Bishnah seat.
JKNPP candidates Ravinder Singh Billoria and Romesh Chander Gupta filed their nomination papers from Billawar and Basohli Assembly constituencies respectively while Parvez Ahmad Raza joined the electoral fray from Basohli seat as Independent candidate.
Three Independent candidates filed their nomination papers from Kathua Assembly seat today. They included Naresh Sharma of Kathua Mission, Kasturi Lal (BMP) and Sudesh Kumar.
Bansi Lal Kandley (Independent) filed his papers from Hiranagar constituency.
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