Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 15: The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with 21 MLAs in the Legislative Assembly today finalised its candidates for the election to eight seats of Legislative Council, which were scheduled to be held on March 7.
The PDP Core Committee that met today approved the names of Nayeem Akhter and Yashpal Sharma for Kashmir and Jammu division seats respectively.
Party sources said the PDP would contest two seats only. It wouldn’t field any candidate for one seat reserved for Doda district.
Two PDP MLCs—Ghulam Mohammad Khatana and Murtaza Ahmad Khan, who were among the eight Legislative Council members retiring on March 16, have been denied mandate for another term.
While election of Nayeem Akhter, a former bureaucrat was certain, the party would require some extra votes to win make Yashpal Sharma from Jammu seat victorious. The PDP was confident that some opposition and Independent MLAs would vote for Mr Sharma, who has clean image throughout his political career, leading to his victory.
The election would be held for four seats of Kashmir, three seats of Jammu and one seat reserved for Doda district.
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