Congress publishes second list of six candidates

New Delhi [India]September 2 (ANI): The Congress party on Monday released its second list of six candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Congress has fielded Tariq Hameed Karra from Central Shalteng constituency, Mumtaz Khan from Reasi constituency, Bhupender Jamwal from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi constituency, Iftkar Ahmed from Rajouri (ST) constituency, Shabir Ahmad Khan from Thannamandi (ST) constituency and Mohd Shahnawaz Choudhary from Surankote (ST) constituency.

The list was released after the Congress Central Election Committee met at its headquarters in New Delhi to finalise the candidates for the election.

The Congress announced its first list of nine candidates for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections in a document signed by All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary KC Venugopal on August 27.

In the election, prominent politician Ghulam Ahmad Mir will contest from Dooru while Vikar Rasool Wani will contest from Banihal. Peerzada Mohd Syed will contest from Anantnag constituency and Sheikh Riaz will contest from Doda constituency.

The party has fielded Surinder Singh Channi for the Tral seat, Amanullah Mantoo for Devsar, Shaikh Zafarullah for Inderwal, Nadeem Sharief for Bhadarwah and Pradeep Kumar Bhagat for Doda West.

Congress and National Conference have joined forces for the parliamentary elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the seat-sharing formula between the two parties, the National Conference (NC) will contest 51 of the 90 seats and the Congress 32. The two parties will also contest against each other for five seats, leaving one seat each for the CPI (M) and the Panthers Party.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) has also expressed its support for the Congress-National Conference alliance in the Jammu and Kashmir elections.

Jammu and Kashmir has 90 constituencies, of which 7 seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 9 for Scheduled Tribes (STs).

According to the Election Commission of India, there are 8.806 million eligible voters in Jammu and Kashmir.

In the last general elections, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) won 28 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 25, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) won 15 and the Congress 12.

These upcoming elections will be the first in Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370.

The elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 8. (ANI)