Srinagar, Feb 13: With Lok Sabha elections coming closer, political parties in Jammu & Kashmir are yet to finalise the list of contestants, even as discussions and meetings are underway to field notable candidates.
Sources said discussions and meetings have been underway for the last few weeks by regional parties to finalise the list; however, many prominent political faces have refused to take part in the elections. The Lok Sabha polls are likely to take place in April and May this year.
News agency KNS has learnt from sources that the National Conference has also held several meetings in this regard, and the party’s top brass has pinned their hope on the incumbent Member Parliament Dr Farooq Abdullah and wants him to contest the polls from Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency.
They say that since Farooq Abdullah is likely to be the star campaigner for united opposition parties at the national level and in Jammu and Kashmir, he would not confine himself to Srinagar Parliamentary constituency. “So far, he has expressed unwillingness to contest polls from central Kashmir, which comprises three districts – Ganderbal, Srinagar and Budgam.”
Sources also said that to silence the BJP narrative that Kashmir parties are promoting dynasty politics and fanning communal agenda, the NC top leadership is mulling filing an all-parties acceptable prominent Kashmiri Pandit heavyweight as a consensus candidate for the Srinagar constituency.
They said they are deliberating on the issue to field person acceptable across the board even with non-mainstream political opinion. “This could be a master political move to silence anti-Kashmir Muslim propaganda and send a wide signal across the country that Kashmir continues to be a cradle of civilisation and Kashmiris are a secular and patriotic society,” they said.
Similarly, Apni Party led by Altaf Bukhari has geared its public outreach programme by holding public meetings and conventions across Jammu & Kashmir. Sources said the party is holding deliberations to finalise candidates for all 5 Lok Sabha constituencies.
People’s Conference led by Sajad Lone has held several meetings in central and north Kashmir where, according to sources, discussions took place about candidates who will fight the polls from Jammu & Kashmir.
“Party high command has decided that PC chairman Sajad Gani Lone will contest polls from north Kashmir. Lone has accepted the proposal of the high command,” they said.
As polls approach closer, the regional parties in J&K have geared up their public outreach across the length and breadth of the union territory.
Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP has also accelerated its public outreach programmes, especially in southern Kashmir and Pir Panchal region this time. As per sources, she is likely to contest polls from the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency, while the J&K Congress unit is holding deliberations to finalise the candidates’ list for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. (KNS)
