DPAP Chief Azad to Contest from Anantnag-Rajouri Parl constituency

Srinagar: President Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) President Ghulam Nabi Azad has joined electoral fray from Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency as DPAP Treasurer Taj Mohiuddin announced the decision of the party to field Azad from this constituency during a press briefing in Srinagar on Tuesday.
Azad, who parted ways with the Congress in 2022 to form his own political outfit in Jammu and Kashmir, is set to spearhead his party’s campaign in the region. Apart from Azad, DPAP has also nominated GM Saruri as its candidate for the Udhampur-Doda seat, marking the party’s foray into the electoral arena with two contenders. Hailing from Doda, Jammu, Azad is pitted against National Conference candidate Mian Altaf Ahmad a veteran Gujjar-Pahari leader and five-time MLA. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are yet to announce their candidates for the coveted seat. The Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat, formed post-delimitation, encompasses Rajori and Poonch and is slated for voting in the third phase on May 7. As the election fervor picks up, political parties are gearing up for an intense battle, with nominations set to commence on April 12 and conclude on April 19.