Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha Seat: Nine Candidates Including Mehbooba Mufti, Mian Altaf File Nomination

South Kashmir's Anantnag town was buzzing with political activity today with many leaders filing their nominations for the Lok Sabha elections. National Conference leader Mian Altaf Ahmad and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, along with seven others, filed nomination papers for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat.

Accompanied by National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah and Congress General Secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Mian filed the nomination papers before Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, who is the returning officer of the constituency. Talking to reporters after filing nomination papers, Abdullah expressed hope that Mian Altaf, the influential Gujjar leader from Kangan in central Kashmir, would emerge victorious.

"On behalf of the INDIA bloc, National Conference candidate Mian Altaf Ahmad has submitted his nomination papers to the DC (returning officer). We are hopeful that Mian Sahib will emerge victorious. On behalf of NC president Farooq Abdullah, we are very thankful to G A Mir who came here from Delhi, especially for this," the NC vice president said. 

“We know very well where the gun culture came from. No party has been a bigger victim of this gun culture than the National Conference. We have lost more than 4,000 senior workers, party office bearers, and former legislators," Abdullah replied to the recent statement of Amit Shah. 

Taking a jibe at Ghulam Nabi Azad, Abdullah said, “We never saw him in the frame, we knew that he would not contest. He did not contest from his own seat of Doda, why would he contest from Anantnag? Now his party has fielded a new candidate. How much support they have among the people, you will come to know in the near future," he said.

Both Omar Abdullah and Congress leader Mir said they are confident of a sweep for INDIA bloc candidates in Jammu and Kashmir. Senior Congress leader Mir added that it's the end of the saffron colour as after the 2024 poll results; there won't be a BJP or Modi government.

After Mian Altaf, former Chief Minister Mehbooba filed a nomination and appealed to people not to boycott elections, as these polls are to fight for the dignity of the people.

Talking to reporters, she said, “It is our land and we have the right to our employment opportunities. We won’t allow assault on our identity, dignity, and future." She urged people to vote for the restoration of dignity.  "Today's election is not being contested for roads, electricity, or water, but is being fought for the restoration of identity, dignity, return of resources and power projects, and rights on land & employment,” she said.

Anantnag parliamentary constituency is going to poll on 7th May, and tomorrow is the last day for filing nomination papers. In Kashmir, the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency has become a high-profile seat as, after delimitation, it was totally changed geographically; one part of it has gone to Jammu, and one remained in Kashmir. BJP was also eyeing this seat, but the choice of candidates by the NC and the PDP pushed them on the back foot.