Senior National Conference leader Mian Altaf on Thursday filed nomination papers for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat as the candidate of the opposition INDIA bloc.
Accompanied by NC vice president Omar Abdullah and Congress General Secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Ahmad filed the nomination papers before Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Syed Fakhruddin, who is the returning officer of the constituency.
Talking to reporters after filing nomination papers, Abdullah said he was hopeful that Ahmad, the influential Gujjar leader from Kangan in central Kashmir, will emerge victorious.
Reacting to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement on destruction caused by gun culture in Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah said the National Conference has been the worst victim of violence.
“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,” he added.
On former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad withdrawing from the contest in Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, Abdullah said he knew about it beforehand.
“We knew that he would not contest. He did not contest from his Doda seat, 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 near future,” he said.
On the BJP not fielding any candidates on the three seats in the valley, Abdullah said, “There are still 24 hours left. Who knows they might just do it!” Senior Congress leader Mir said he was confident of a sweep for INDIA bloc candidates in Jammu and Kashmir.