Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 25: Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi of National Conference (JKNC) was among 22 candidates who filed nomination papers before the Returning Officer Srinagar Parliamentary constituency today taking the number of candidates who have filed nominations from the constituency to 39.
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Salman Sagar of the NC submitted his nomination papers from the NC as a covering candidate. Hakikat Singh from National Panthers Party Bhim, Rakesh Handu from J&K National United Front, Amir Ahmad Bhat from Democratic Progressive Azad Party and Qaiser Sultan Ganai covering candidate of Democratic Progressive Azad Party also submitted their nomination papers..
Ashiq Hussain from Rashtriya Jan Kranti Party, Mohammad Yousuf Bhat from Gana Suraksh Party, Suraya Nissar from National Republic Party of India and Farooq Ahmad Bhat from National Youth Party also filed their papers.
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Those who filed their nomination papers as independent candidates include Wahida Tabasum, renowned oncologist Dr. Qazi Ashraf, Fida Hussain Dar, Abdul Hamid Rather, Arun Kumar Raina, Bansi Lal Bhat, Saquib Rahman Makhdoomi, Shadib Hanief, Javaid Ahmad Wani, Jehangir Ahmad Sheikh, Shabir Ahmad Malik and Sajad Ahmad Dar.
With the filing of 22 nominations today in Srinagar Parliamentary constituency, the total number of candidates who filed their candidature for seat reached to 39. The scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on April 26. The candidates have the option to withdraw their candidature by or before April 29. Voting in the constituency is scheduled on May 13.
NC candidate Ruhullah Mehdi was accompanied by NC leader Farooq Abdullah, his son and vice-president of National Conference Omar Abdullah, and Vikar Rasool, president of Congress.
Apart from that, Mehdi was accompanied by hundreds of NC supporters who were chanting slogans in support of the party.
Mehdi, while talking to reporters said: “The elections will provide us an opportunity to express the sentiments that have not been expressed in the last four years, we are hopeful for a win but more than that, the important thing is how to mobilise the sentiments of people towards that win.”
Omar Abdullah while speaking to reporters said that our enemies will get a big jolt in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls in Jammu and Kashmir. He said the plans engineered from Central Government to Raj Bhawan will be dusted by people on polling days.
“Central Government, Raj Bhawan, BJP, their A, B and C teams are consistently drafting plans against us, but their designs will get a big jolt in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir,” Abdullah said.
He said that efforts are on to weaken the NC in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections by its enemies, but their ill designs will be defeated with full energy.
“They want to extinguish NC’s candle but it is impossible, it will remain lit up,” he added
Omar Abdullah’s sons, Zahir and Zamir, were also part of the rally. They said they will campaign for their father who is contesting from Baramulla Parliamentary constituency.
Both the sons have been seen attending election campaign meetings of the party with their father across Kashmir.
“Insha Allah, we both will go and campaign,” Zahir told reporters when asked if the brothers will campaign for their father.
His brother Zamir said while he has no intention of joining politics, yet he wants to remain connected with the people. “I have no plans yet. I am a lawyer. We have connection with the people and that will stay forever,” he said, when asked if he had any plans to join politics.
Zamir said the two will always remain connected with the people. “I have no more plans than this as of now. I am with Omar. Mehdi submitted the nominations today. I am with him. They have my support till the very end. Our job is to connect with the people,” he added.
As per the affidavit submitted by the candidates, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Waheed-ur-Rahman Parra, is the poorest candidate in the fray among candidates of major parities while Apni Party’s Muhammad Ashraf Mir is richest with Rs 31 Crore net worth.
The poll affidavit Parra has submitted before the Returning Officer in Srinagar revealed that he has not been able to earn anything from the year 2020 to 2022 for being under detention.
Parra, in his poll affidavit, has declared that FIR No. 05/2020 at NIA Jammu Police Station and FIR No. 31/2020 at CIK Srinagar Police Station are registered against him. The sections under which Parra has been charged include: Section 18, 19, 20, 23, 38, 13, 17, 18, 39, 40 of the UAPA Act (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act), UAPA read with 7/25 of the Arms Act, Section 120/B, 3/04 of ES Act, Section 121/A, 124/A of IPC (Indian Penal Code). In 2022-23, his income was Rs. 4,51,270, while in 2023-24, it was Rs. 4,70,310. His monthly earnings are not more than a mere 39 thousand rupees. He has Rs. 1 lac cash in hand. He doesn’t have any savings or fixed deposits. However, he has ancestral land valuing approximately Rs. 2 crore. He has immovable assets worth Rs 18 lakhs and an ancestral house in Pulwama valuing Rs. 32 lakhs. Furthermore, as per the affidavit, he has completed a Master’s in International Relations (Peace and Conflict Studies) from the Islamic University of Kashmir.
As per the poll affidavit of Ruhullah, he has shown his last year’s income as RS 5.9 lakh. He and his spouse have bank deposits and jewellery worth around Rs 58 lakhs. He has a residential house and commercial building with total worth of immovable assets amounting to Rs 3 Crore and moveable assets worth Rs 37 lakh and ancestral property worth Rs 4 crore. He has shown his education qualification as BA 2nd year.
On the other hand, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party candidate for the Srinagar Parliament constituency, Mohammad Ashraf Mir, in his poll affidavit, has declared details of both movable and immovable assets, including those of his spouse and dependents. The movable assets include a total value of Rs. 97 lakh for Mohammad Ashraf Mir and Rs. 1,57,25,528/- for his spouse. As far as immovable assets are concerned, Mohammad Ashraf Mir has declared a total value of Rs. 1,54,00,000/- as per the present market value, including agricultural land. Additionally, he has declared a total current market value of approximately Rs. 30.15 Cr for residential buildings, including apartments. Mir’s assets include movable assets such as personal vehicles, immovable assets such as residential buildings and agricultural land, as well as financial assets such as savings deposits and investments in companies/mutual funds. The candidate’s highest educational qualification is a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in Personnel Management from BMS College of Engineering in 1995. He owns a Toyota Fortuner and a Mahindra Scorpio. Based on the provided document, Mir has Rs. 5,00,000 in cash in hand and a savings deposit of Rs. 1,25,528 in J&K Bank.
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