Farooq vacates Ganderbal for Omar

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah is not contesting the polls. His son and Union Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Omar A...

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah is not contesting the polls. His son and Union Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Omar Abdullah will contekst from family’s the traditional Ganderbal Assembly constituency.

The party’s list of nominees for the second phase of elections has dropped Abdullah and 11 other candidates, who were fielded in the 1996 Assembly polls. The second phase of polls, starting on September 24, will be held in 27 segments across three districts of Jammu, Srinagar and Budgam.

Incidently, the candidate for the Budgam assembly segement will be cleared in two days time, party sources said. The NC sources said because questions are being raised about Aga Rooh-ul-lah’s age, the choice tapers down to Aga Mehmood and SyeD Ghulam Hussain Gelani.

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Abdullah will be replaced by Omar, the chief ministerial candidate, from Ganderbal. The party highest-decision making central Election Board, has sprung many surprises omitting several the names of sitting MLAs.

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The newcomers include Omar Abdullah from Ganderbal, Shameema Firdous (Habab Kadal), Ghulam Nabi Lasjan (Amira Kadal), Mohammad Yasin Shah (Sonawar), Mohammad Amin Banday (Beerwah) in the Kashmir province. They have replaced senior Abdullah, Late Parrey Lal Handoo, Mohammad Shafi Bhat, G M Bhawan, Aga Mehmood repectively.

Party heavyweights Health Minister Main Altaf Ahmad, Works Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar, Urban and Housing Minister Ghulam Mohideen Shah and Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather have been repeated from Kangan, Khanyar, Batamaloo and Charar-e-Sharief respectively.

In Jammu province, the party has fielded seven new candidates. They are S.N. Maniyal from Samba, Bimla Lutra (Jammu East), Dr Kamal Arora (Bishnah), K.L. Bhagat (R S Pora), T S Tony (Suchetgarh), Sat Pal Lakhotra (Raipur Domana) and Chajju Ram Bhagat (Chambb).

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Lakhotra’s inclusion was a surprise since he shifted over to NC from Janata Dal. He was representing Raipur Domana segement. Those who were not repeated this time are Rattan Lal Gupta (Jammu East), J.R. Gupta (Bisnah), Raj Kumar (K L Bhagat), Nanak Singh (Suchetgarh), Bharat Bhushan (Raipur Domana) and Ganga Dutt (Chhamb).

Power Minister S S Slathia, Transport Minister Ajat Shatru Singh and Rural Development Minister Ajay Sadhotra could make it easily from their traditional constituencies.

	Omar’s candidature decided on Jammu’s politics
	Jammu: Omar Abdullah’s candidature as chief minister has been decided on the basis of the political situation in Jammu. Majority of party leaders feels the junior Abdullah would be more acceptable in the region, which will be crucial in deciding NC’s fate in the polls. Party leaders feel Omar has the image of a secular leader even in strong Hindu belts. “He is young and dynamic who is all set to give new dimensions to party in the coming days,” sys Shiekh Bashir Ahmed, NC provincial general secretary. The NC has fielded many new and young faces, reportedly on the advice of Omar. According to sources, senior party leaders had urged Farooq to re-think his decision. But Farooq refused and the party finally okayed the list . Sources say, party leaders feel Omar is non-controversial and hence should be given charge of the polls. However, they have also asked Farooq not to take up any new assignment till the new government is formed in the state. In the event of a hung assembly the party feels the senior Abdullah’s services will be needed. (Rakesh Rocky)

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