A total of 175 candidates are in fray for the 18 constituencies in the five districts of Kupwara, Kulgam, Reasi, Udhampur and Poonch. (PTI)
Four ministers of the Congress-NC coalition government, 16 former ministers and sitting legislators are among the 175 candidates, who are in the fray for 18 Assembly constituencies going to polls in the second phase on December 2 in Jammu and Kashmir.
“On the last day of withdrawal of the nominations for the second phase of Assembly elections in J&K yesterday, for which polling is scheduled to be held on December 2, 175 candidates are in fray for the 18 constituencies in the five districts of Kupwara, Kulgam, Reasi, Udhampur and Poonch,” an official spokesman said.
Among the ministers from the Omar Abdullah government is Ajaz Khan of Congress contesting from Gool Arnas seat followed by Mir Saifullah (NC) from Kupawara Assembly Constituency, Choudhary Mohd Ramzan (NC) from Handwara and Sakina Itoo (NC) from Noorabad seat.
Apart from these, there are 18 sitting MLAs and MLCs and former ministers including Aijaz Jan, Javed Rana (MLC), Kafil Ur Rehman, (all NC), Krishen Chander and Amin Bhat (MLC) (all INC), Gaffar Sofi (MLA & Former Minister) Sartaj Mandi (Dy Speaker), Abdul Haq Khan (both PDP), Balwant Mankotia and Harsh Dev Singh (MLA & Former Minister), Baldev Raj Sharma and Abdul Rahseed (noth Independents), M Y Tarigami (CPIM).
Besides, former ministers -Gulam Mohideen Sofi (PDP),Syed Mushtaq Bukhari (NC), Abdul Gani Malik (MLA) and Jagjiwan Lal (NC) and Jugal Kishore (MLC) of Congress.
From the Karnah Assembly constituency, seven candidates are in the fray including Ashfaq-Ur-Rehman (BJP), Jahangir Khan (Panthers Party), Raja Manzoor Ahamed Khan (PDP), Ali Asgar Khan (INC), Kafil-Ur-Rehman (NC), Aijaz Ahamed Badana (All J&K Kissan Mazdoor Party) and Mohd Saleem Mir (J&KPC).
In Kupwara Assembly constituency, 12 candidates are in the fray including Sardar Khan (BSP), Saifullah Khan (NCP), Ab Rehman Lone (BJP), Gh Rasool Malik (INC), Mir Saif-ul-llah (JKNC), Mir Mohd Fayaz (JKPDP), Wali Mohd Khan (JKNPP), Adv. Bashir Ahmad Dar (JKPC), Gh Hassan Sheikh, (Kissan Mazdoor Party) while as Javid Ahmad Wani, Adv. Mohd Amin Peer and Mustaq Ahmad Sheikh are Independent candidates.
In Lolab Assembly constituency, nine candidates are in the fray Abdul Haq Khan (PDP), Ab. Rasheed Zargar (BJP), Ghulam Ahmad Malik (JKNPP), Gh. Nabi Shah (BSP), Haji Farooq Ahmad Mir (INC), Qaiser Jamsheed Lone (JKNC), Suriya Bano (RPI), Abdul Rehman Wani (JKPC) and Mohd Sultan Magray (Kisan Mazdoor Party (Ind).
In Handwara Assembly Constituency, 12 candidates are in the fray including Chowdry Mohamad Ramzan (NC), Sajad Ahmad Pir (BSP), Ghulam Mohi-Ui-Din Sofi (PDP), Mohd Abdullah Bhat (NPP), Mohd Yaseen Bhat (INC), Sajad Gani Lone (J&KPC), Gh. Qadir Mircha (All J&K Kissan Mazdoor Party), Ajaz Ahmad Sofi Independent (AIP), Haneefa Begum Independent (JKNPPF), Abdul Rahman Tantry (Independent), Anaytullah Lohar, (Independent) and Hilal Ahmad Tantry (Independent).
In Langate Assembly Constituency, 11 candidates are in fray including Bashir Ahmad Wani (INC), Javid Ahmad Najar (J&KNPP), Mohd Maqbool War (BJP), Gh. Nabi Ganai (Pandithpori) (PDP), Wali Mohd Bhat, (J&K NC), Er. Abdul Rashid Sheikh (J&K Awami Itihad Party), Advocate Mohd Abdullah Mir (J&KPC), Irshad Hussain Ganai (Independent), Haji Mohd Akbar Ganai (Independent), Mohd Ramzan Malla (Independent) and Mudasir Ahmad Tantray (Independent).
In Noorabad Assembly Constituency, 15 candidates are in the fray including Sakina Itoo (NC), Abdur Rehman Magray (BSP), Abdul Majeed Padder (PDP), Mushtaq Ahmad (JKNPP), Mushtaq Ahmed Malik (BJP), Manzoor Ahmad Zargar (INC) while Akther Hussain Shah, Bilal Ahmad Bhat, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Tawseef Ahmad Dar, Abdul Rashid Bhat, Gulzar Ahmed Mir, Mohd Amin Teli, Mushtaq Ahmad Doie and Mehraj-ud-Din Dar are Independent candidates.
In Kulgam Assembly Constituency, eight candidates are in fray including Peer Nazim-ud-Din (INC), Riyaz Ahmad Shah (BSP), Imran Nabi Dar (NC), Ghulam Hassan Zargar (BJP), Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami (CPI-M), Nazir Ahmad Laway (PDP), Towseef Ahmad Shah (Independent) and Rashida Mir (Independent).
In HumshaliBugh Assembly Constituency, eight candidates are in fray — Bashir Ahmad Bhat (BSP), Abdul Gaffar Sofi (PDP), Abdul Majeed (NC), Anayatullah Rather (INC), Ghulam Nabi Dar (BJP), Mohammad Ayoub Sheikh (JKNPP), Mohd. Amin Bhat (Samaj Wadi Party) and Abdul Bary Naik (Independent).
In Devsar Assembly constituency, eight candidates are in fray including Peerzada Gulam Ahmad (NC), Fayaz Ahmad Bhat (BJP), Mohammad Amin Bhat (INC), Mohammad Sartaj Madni (PDP), Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat (BSP), Asif Jeelani (AIFB), while Mudasir Rashid Mir and Nisar Ahmad Hajam are Independent.
In Gulabgarh Assembly constituency, seven candidates are in fray including Bashir-Ud-Din (JKNPP), Pardeep Singh (BJP), Jawahar Singh (BSP), Shafiq-Ur-Rehman (PDP), Abdul Gani Malik (NC), Mumtaz Ahmed (INC) and Shaber Ahmed (IND).
In Reasi Assembly Constituency, 14 candidates are in the fray including, Ajay Nanda (BJP), Om Parkash (CPI-M), Balwan Singh (JKNPP), Jagjiwan Lal (JKNC), Jugal Kishore (Congress), Karan Singh (BSP) and Anil Kumar, Baldev Raj Sharma, Bansi Lal, Rano Devi, Saraf Singh, Karnail Singh, Kuldeep Singh & Meenakshi Sharma -all Independent candidates.
In Gool Arnas Assembly Constituency, 10 candidates are in the fray including Ajaz Ahmed Khan (Congress), Imtiyaz Ahmed Shan (PDP), Shiban (BSP), Shakeel Ahmed (JKNPP), Shamshad Bano (NC), Kuldeep Raj Dubey (BJP) and Arjun Singh, Romail Singh, Abdul Rehman & Gulzar Ahmed Wani as Independent.
In Udhampur Assembly Constituency, 10 candidates are in fray including Ashok Kumar Gupta (INC), Balwant Singh Mankotia (J&KNPP), Pawan Khajuria (BJP), Ranjit Singh (BSP), Sukhdev Sharma (J&K PDP), Sunil Verma (J&K NC), Dharam Paul (Hindustan Janta Party), while Anil Khajuria, Pawan Kumar Gupta and Soma are Independent candidates.
In Chenani (SC) Assembly Constituency, 7 candidates are in the fray including Dhani Ram Atri (JKNPP), Dina Nath (BJP), Sansar Chand (J&K NC), Krishan Chander (INC), Mohinder Kumar (BSP), Hans Raj (PDP) and Pushpa Devi (SP).
In Ramnagar Assembly Constituency, 6 candidates are in the fray including Raj Kapoor (J&K NC), Ranbir Singh Pathania (BJP), Prof. Sukham Chand (BSP), Vinod Kumar Sharma (INC), Harsh Dev Singh (J&KNPP) and Sanju Kumar (Independent).
In Surankote Assembly Constituency, 10 candidates are in the fray including, Ch. Mohd Akram (INC), Mohd Taj Khan (BJP), Naseer-Ul-Islam Ahmed (BSP), Ashfaq Rana (JKNPP), Iqbal Hussain Shah (PDP), Mushtaq Ahmed Shah (JKNC), Javid Ahmed (All India forward block), Ayaz Ahmed Mughal, Mohammad Shah and Mohd Sadiq Qureshi (all Independents).
In Mendhar Assembly Constituency, 11 candidates are in the fray including Javed Ahmed Rana (J&K NC), Zulfqar Hussain Khan (BJP), Mohd Shafeeq Khan (BSP), Mohd Tariq Khan (J&KNPP), Mohd Mahroof Khan (J&KPDP), Murtaza Ahmed Khan (INC), Mushtaq Ahmed (Pir Panjal Awami Party), Abdul Majeed Chowan, Mohd Sharief Khan, Nisar Ahmed Khan and Nisar Hussain Shah (all Independents).
In Haveli Assembly Constituency, 10 candidates are in the fray including, Ashfaq Ahmed (BSP), Ajaz Ahmed Jan (NC), Ch Bashir Ahmed Naz (INC), Pardeep Sharma (BJP), Shah Mohd Tantray (PDP), Mohd Rashid (JKNPP), Mohd Younis (J&K Pir Panjal Awami Party), Javid Iqbal Reshi, Chaudhary Abdul Ghani and Mohd Kabir Qureshi (all Independents).