PDP ‘ready’ with its candidates, to be announced soon
FULL STEAM Mehbooba to chalk out poll strategy in Jammu today
SRINAGAR: The People’s Democratic Party has almost finalised the name of candidates who could be contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Jammu and Kashmir. However, the names of these candidates will be officially announced in the coming days. Senior PDP leaders have said that there is no plan to leave some seats for Congress in Jammu region.
Officially, the People’s Democratic Party has only named one candidate—former trade union leader, Abdul Qayoom Wani— from Baramulla seat. In 2014, the seat was won by PDP candidate Muzuffar Hussain Beigh.
Sources said that the PDP leadership has finalised two names for Srinagar seat including former minister, Ashraf Mir and the party’s additional general secretary, Agha Mohsin. However, the final decision will be taken by party president Mehbooba Mufti.
“The names of candidates who will be contesting from different seats have been discussed. The final say is with Mehbooba Mufti. The names will be made public within a few days,’’ a senior PDP leader said.
In 2014, the Srinagar seat was won by the PDP. However, after Tariq Hameed Karra resigned from the party and joined the Congress in 2016, the seat was wrested back by the National Conference in the 2017 byelections after Farooq Abdullah defeated PDP candidate Nazir Khan in violence ridden polls .
For south Kashmir, the People’s Democratic Party leadership has zeroed in on two names including former minister, Abdul Rehman Veeri and party president Mehbooba Mufti. Most senior leaders are insisting on the candidature of Mehbooba Mufti.
“Many of our cadres want Mehbooba Mufti to contest from Anantnag parliament seat. It is now up to her whether to contest herself or ask any other candidate,’’ a senior PDP leader said.
Sources said the party has also finalised candidates who could contest from Jammu and Udhampur seats. A former minister and former legislators are the front runners for the ticket from two Jammu seats according to sources. “These reports are speculative and no such communication has taken place from the party to the Congress,’’ Suhail Bukhari ,media advisor to Mehbooba Mufti said.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti reached Jammu on Monday to meet senior party leaders and chalk out a strategy for the elections.