PDP finalises its candidates for bypoll

The party will field Javed Beig, nephew of Deputy CM Muzaffar Hussain Beig, in the Sangrama seat, which fell vacant after the death of former Minister of State for Education Dr Ghulam Nabi Lone last year, sources added. It is now official that both the coalition partners, the Congress and the PDP, will contest jointly and that there would be no 8216;8216;friendly contest8217;8217; in any of the state8217;s seats. Although local Congress leaders are still pressuring the party state leadership to contest the Valley seats, the leadership has indicated to them to not carry the issue too far. Sources said that Ghulam Nabi Azad is likely to campaign for the partner party in the three Valley seats. Former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is also likely to campaign for Azad in Bhaderwah, which is the Chief Minister8217;s home area. Azad will file his nomination papers on April 5 while the PDP will soon announce the same. Meanwhile, sources in the opposition National Conference told Express NC may support Shohaib Lone in the Sangrama seat. Shohaib is Ghulam Nabi Lone8217;s son and is contesting as an independent from his father8217;s seat.