Democratic Progressive Azad Party Chief Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday expressed happiness that elections were being held after a gap of ten years while lamenting they were not held earlier.
Ahead of the second and third phases of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Democratic Progressive Azad Party Chief Ghulam Nabi Azad called leaders of political parties his competitors, adding that he does not consider them enemies.
"Has terrorism not ended? Could you ever roam around downtown (Srinagar) or was there 60-70 per cent polling? So what is Farooq Sahib talking about? I once told him that I have seen more areas of Kashmir than he has. I know the pulse of Kashmir. This is the frustration of NC, PDP, and Con
Speaking to ANI, Ghulam Nabi Azad said "I strongly oppose the fact that elections were held after ten years. Till now there should have been two elections, one in 2019 and one now. Three elections were held for the Parliament and the no elections here left the state far behind."
People Democratic Party Chief Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah, have raised concerns that these independent candidates can help BJP in key constituencies.
After CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury passed away due to a prolonged illness on Thursday, political leaders from different sections expressed their grief over the loss of the communist leader.
The bail was granted by Delhi's special NIA court earlier in the day to allow Rashid to campaign for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections.
According to the list, the BJP has fielded Mohd Irnees Karnahi from Karnah, Ghulam Mohammad Mir from Handwara, Abdul Rashid Khan from Sonawari, Naseer Ahmad Lone from Bandipora, Faqir Mohammad Khan from Gurez (ST), and RS Pathania from Udhampur East.
Meanwhile, National Conference (NC) will contest 51 of 90 seats and Congress 32 according to the seat-sharing pact reached by the two parties for the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir. The two parties will also have "friendly contest" on five seats.
The Congress on Tuesday announced a list of nine candidates who will contest in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections in a document signed by AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal.
Amid rumours that Democratic Progressive Azad Party Chief, Ghulam Nabi Azad will join the Congress, Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir said that Congress is open to working with anyone who wants to fight the ideology of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir said, "It