GT News Service
Jammu, March 30
All political players in Jammu and Kashmir are waiting for others to declare a candidate for the newly shaped Anantnag-Poonch-Rajouri Lok Sabha resulting in suspense over this parliamentary seat.
The election for the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency will be held in the third phase so political parties are not in a hurry to announce their candidates.
Although Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti has started the campaign on this seat, the party has yet not officially announced her candidature as part of the strategy.
As far as the National Conference is concerned, the names of sitting Lok Sabha member Justice Hasnain Masoodi, Mian Altaf, and Sakina Itoo were discussed but no final decision has been taken by the party to date.
The BJP has delayed the announcement of its candidate amidst speculations that former Union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad could emerge as a joint candidate for the Apni Party and his own Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP).
Azad’s potential joint candidacy signals the formation of another alliance in J&K, particularly in Kashmir, to counter the INDI alliance, comprising the PDP, NC, and Congress.
Discussions regarding this prospective alliance are underway at the highest levels, involving Azad, Altaf Bukhari, and Sajjad Lone, who head DPAP, Apni Party, and Peoples Conference respectively. Sources close to Azad suggest that talks are nearing conclusion, although hurdles remain to be addressed.
A recent meeting between Azad and Bukhari in New Delhi reportedly explored the feasibility of this alliance.
Meanwhile, the BJP has submitted nine potential candidates for the three Kashmir Lok Sabha seats to the party’s central leadership, but candidates for Baramulla, Srinagar, and Anantnag Lok Sabha seats are yet to be announced.
The Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency, following recent delimitation, now includes areas from the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.
