Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Oct 29: The Congress tonight released the list of 15 candidates selected by the Central Election Committee for the first phase of Assembly elections in J&K being held on November 25.
The list of the 15 candidates, which was approved by the Congress high command in New Delhi, was officially released by the All India Congress Committee (AICC), general secretary, Madhusudan Mistry late this evening. All the sitting MLAs from Chenab valley region and Ladakh have figured in the first list of the Congress Party.
Talking to Excelsior, PCC president Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz confirmed it and said, “We have released the first list of 15 candidates for the Phase-I of Assembly elections in the State. The second list has also been approved by the party high command and it will also come out in a couple of days.”
From the home constituency of former Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, his cousin and sitting MLA Mohd Sharief Niaz has been given the mandate by the party again. Mr Niaz, a former Minister, is also CLP Leader in the State Assembly. From Banihal constituency, sitting MLA and Minister of State for Power and Technical Education, Viqar Rasool has been given the party ticket to contest elections again. Ashok Kumar Dogra, sitting party MLA is candidate from Ramban constituency.
From Doda Assembly seat, sitting MLA and Minister for R&B, Abdul Majid Wani would contest the elections. Former Minister and sitting MLA from Inderwal, Ghulam Mohd Saroori has been given the party mandate again from this mountainous constituency while a new face Nek Ram Manhas has been cleared for the party ticket from Kishtwar constituency.
Nawang Rigzin Jora, Minister for Urban Development and Urban Local Bodies and a sitting MLA from Leh, has been repeated by the party to contest elections from Leh Assembly constituency. From Kargil constituency, the name of Chief Executive Councillor, LAHDC, Kargil, Asgar Karbalai has been cleared to contest elections on Congress mandate. From Zanskar former MLA Ghulam Raza has been given the party mandate while from Nobra Dildan Namgyal is the party candidate.
Former Minister Usman Majid has been declared as the party candidate from Bandipora, Faqir Mohd Khan from Gurez, Imtiyaz Parray from Sonawari, Mohd Yousuf Bhat from Ganderbal while Aijaz Ahmed Sheikh from Kangan constituency, which is presently represented by a sitting NC Minister Mian Altaf.
It is pertinent to mention here that November 5 is the last date of filing nominations for the first phase of elections being held on November 25. November 7 is the date of scrutiny of the candidates while November 10 the last date of withdrawal of the candidature.