Agencies
Srinagar- People’s Conference president Sajad Gani Lone on Wednesday filed nomination papers from the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency in Jammu and Kashmir.
Jailed Awami Ittehad Party leader Abdul Rashid Sheikh alias Engineer Rashid has already filed nomination papers from this north Kashmir constituency. National Conference leader and former chief minister Omar Abdullah is also contesting for this seat.
Talking to reporters after filing his papers, Lone said this is the first election after the abrogation of Article 370 by the Centre in 2019. “The people of Kashmir deserve to be represented by a new voice, a different voice. Even the people of India deserve to know what exactly is happening here.
“It is important to have a different voice because out of the past 10 Parliaments, nine times the MPs have been from the same party. I promise the voices of the people of north Kashmir shall resonate across the Parliament,” he said.
Lone reiterated his challenge that he will withdraw his nomination if the National Conference can get the INDIA bloc to make a public commitment to the restoration of Article 370.
“There are still four days left. I will withdraw if they (NC) get the INDIA alliance to say that they will get back Article 370, Article 35A, and internal autonomy (for Jammu and Kashmir),” he added.
Last month, the Apni Party decided to support Peoples Conference president Sajad Gani Lone
Party chief Altaf Bukhari announced the support for Lone during a press conference, days after Lone had sought his help to consolidate the anti-National Conference votes in the constituency.
Lone is contesting against Omar Abdullah, the National Conference vice-president and a former chief minister of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state.
“We have fielded candidates from two constituencies — Srinagar and Anantnag-Rajouri. We have not fielded any candidate from north Kashmir and I am happy to announce that we will be extending support to the People’s Conference, led by Lone there,” Bukhari said.
Lone had earlier sought support from the Apni Party to consolidate all anti-National Conference votes in north Kashmir, claiming that it benefits from the fragmentation of votes.
“I appeal to Altaf Bukhari, let us stop the division of votes in north Kashmir and let them support us there,” Lone had said.
The People’s Conference chief had also assured its 100 percent support to the Apni Party in Srinagar in return.
Baramulla goes to the polls in the fifth phase on May 20 while Srinagar will vote in the fourth phase on May 13.
Polling in the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency will be held on May 20.
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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Kashmir Monitor staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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