Cong releases first list, fields 145;winners146;

For Leh, the party has nominated former minister Rizgin Jora, who too won the 2002 election. Hailing from Nimo village, he had contested the elections on the ticket of Ladakh Union Territory Front LUTF and was elected unopposed. Jora, a Harvard-educated hotelier-turned-politician, was running a travel agency before joining politics. He owns Leh8217;s Hotel Mandala. After parting ways with the LUTF, in 2004 Jora played a key role in re-establishing the Congress in Leh.

Faqir Mohammad Khan will be the party8217;s candidate from Gurez. He had won the 1996 elections as an Independent candidate and joined the Congress during 2002 elections. From Surunkote, the party has fielded veteran Gujjar leader and former PCC chief, Choudhary Aslam. Aslam has been a minister and Speaker in the Assembly.

Ghulam Raza has been given ticket from Zanskar. An old Congress worker, he hails from the far flung Khandi village. Raza had won the 2006 bypolls. From Bandipore, the party has fielded veteran Congress worker Habib ullah Bhat who is also a member of Legislative Council. Bhat is presently district president of the party.