Jammu and Kashmir : Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and President of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), Ghulam Nabi Azad, will be vying for a seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from the prestigious Anantnag constituency in South Kashmir. The announcement of Azad’s candidature was made on Tuesday by senior DPAP leader Taj Mohiuddin in Srinagar, with the presence of other party leaders including GM Saroori and RS Chib. The decision was made by the core committee of the DPAP.
Azad, who previously served as a minister and senior functionary in the Congress for nearly five decades, formed the DPAP in August 2022 after parting ways with the Congress. This marks Azad’s return to the electoral arena, with the last Lok Sabha election he contested being in 2014, where he lost to BJP leader Dr. Jitendra Singh from the Udhampur constituency.
Regarding potential pre-poll alliances, Taj Mohiuddin mentioned that talks with the Apni Party of Altaf Bukhari have not progressed significantly, and the Apni Party seemed disinterested in contesting the Anantnag seat. Azad’s candidature for the Anantnag seat was announced amidst the National Conference’s nomination of Gujjar spiritual leader Mian Altaf for the same constituency.
Azad has already commenced his campaign with rallies held across Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian, Rajouri, and Poonch districts, which are part of the redrawn Anantnag seat. The constituency is scheduled to go to polls in the third phase on May 7th.
