After the expiry of the date for filing nomination papers for the first phase of Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, there is uncertainty over veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad to join the electoral battle.
Today was the last day for filing nomination papers for three seats in Doda district but Azad was missing from action. As Doda is the home district of Ghulam Nabi Azad and his party workers were expecting that he would file his nomination papers in his home Assembly constituency of Bhaderwah but the former Congress stalwart preferred to maintain a distance from the electoral battle.
On the Bhaderwah Assembly segment, which is the home constituency of the Ghulam Nabi Azad, the DPAP has nominated former Advocate General Mohammad Aslam Goni as the party's candidate.
On Sunday, the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) announced its first list of 13 candidates for various constituencies across Jammu and Kashmir.
The list, issued by the party's general secretary, R.S. Chib, includes several prominent figures. Former minister Abdul Majid Wani is set to contest from the Doda East Assembly segment, while former MLA Mohammad Amin Bhat will run from the Devsar constituency in South Kashmir. Mohammad Aslam Goni will represent Bhaderwah in the Doda district, with Saleem Parray contesting from Doru and Muneer Ahmed Mir from Lolab. Other candidates include Bilal Ahmed Deva for Anantnag West, Ghulam Nabi Wani for Rajpura, Altaf Hussain for Anantnag, Qasir Sultan Ganai for Ganderbal, Ghulam Nabi Bhat for Eidgah, Amir Ahmed Bhat for Khanayar, Nisar Ahmed Lone for Gurez, and Peer Bilal Ahmed for Hazaratbal.
The Bhaderwah Assembly segment holds significant importance for Ghulam Nabi Azad, as it was from this constituency that he won elections in 2006 and 2008. In fact, Bhaderwah is where Azad secured his first electoral victory in his home state, marking a milestone in his political career. After assuming the role of Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir in 2005, Azad won the 2006 by-election in Bhaderwah with a record-breaking margin of 58,015 votes, setting a new benchmark for voter support.
Earlier, Ghulam Nabi Azad had announced his intention to contest the Lok Sabha election from the Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary seat. However, shortly after, his party clarified that Azad would indeed be running in the upcoming elections.
Azad's right-hand-man Saroori files papers as an Independent candidate
In a significant development indicating disintegration in the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), Ghulam Mohammad Saroori filed his nomination paper as an Independent candidate from the Inderwal Assembly segment.
As most of the mass base leaders of the DPAP have deserted the party, Saroori, and Jugal Kishore Sharma, a former minister and ex-MLA from Reasi, are the only two leaders who have some base in their respective constituencies.
Today Saroori virtually deserted the DPAP by filing nomination papers as an Independent candidate.
Saroori, who won three successive Assembly elections from the Inderwal Assembly constituency in 2002, 2008, and 2014, filed his nomination papers on the last of filing papers.
Today Saroori filed his nomination as an independent candidate from the Inderwal seat in Kishtwar district and said he could not ignore the people's demand to contest the assembly elections.
The former minister, however, ruled out any differences with DPAP chief Ghulam Nabi Azad, affirming that Azad would remain his leader.
"I have filed nomination papers as an independent candidate from the Inderwal constituency. We have been working for the people of this region and will continue to do so. I acted on the decision of the people of Inderwal and could not ignore their demand," Saroori told reporters in Kishtwar.
Saroori, who has represented the Inderwal seat for three terms, emphasized that he had no differences with the party or its leader over the denial of the ticket. DPAP was formed in September 2022 with much fanfare. Within months after its formation, many senior leaders resigned from the party.
