BJP skips 8 Valley seats as nominations for J&K’s first phase see 279 contenders in fray

While the National Conference-Congress combine and the People’s Democratic Party have fielded candidates in all 16 Valley seats, the BJP has not fielded candidates from eight seats in south Kashmir. Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Democratic Azad Party has fielded candidates from only five seats in the Valley, and Apni Party has fielded candidates in nine Valley seats.

In Jammu region, the NC-Congress combine and the BKP have fielded its candidates on all eight seats, while the PDP has skipped two seats. Azad’s DPAP is contesting in four and Apni Party in two seats.

The biggest surprise in Jammu came from the Inderwal constituency, where Azad loyalist G M Saroori, who was not given a ticket by DPAP, has filed nomination papers as an Independent candidate.

The prominent faces contesting in the first phase include NC’s former parliamentarian Hasanain Masoodi, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter Iltija Mufti, Communist leader M Y Tarigami, Congress’s G A Mir, and BJP’s Sofi Yousuf.

Iltija Mufti and Sofi Yousuf, along with the NC’s Bashir Ahmad Veeri, are the only three candidates contesting from Srigufwara-Bijbehara constituency in south Kashmir. At the same time, Pampore in south Kashmir, as well as Doda and Bhaderwah in the Chenab region, will see 16 candidates each contesting from the seats.