Mehbooba Mufti files nomination from Anantnag-Rajouri LS seat

Three candidates, including former J&K chief minister and the Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference candidate Mian Altaf, on Thursday filed nomination papers from Anantnag Rajouri Lok Sabha seat.
Accompanied by several party leaders and hundreds of supporters, Mehbooba arrived at the office of Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, Syed Fakhruddin, who is the returning officer for the constituency, to file her papers.
“This election is different as it is not for roads, water or electricity but to get back what was snatched from us in 2019 whether our assets, land, jobs and rights. It’s not the fight of NC or the PDP but whatever is being taken away from us. J&K has been turned into a big jail,” Mehbooba Mufti told reporters soon after filing her papers.
Read Here: Former Jammu and Kashmir CM Ghulam Nabi Azad drops out of Anantnag poll race
The former CM said that efforts are being made to make us bonded labourers. “We will never allow this to happen. The land, jobs and assets of J&K belong to people here.”
Mufti urged people not to boycott the Lok Sabha polls. “You should come out and vote. You should not boycott the elections. Vote for a person who you think can represent aspirations of the people. In south Kashmir they are trying to enforce a boycott but people should come out and foil all the boycott attempts.”
National Conference candidate Mian Altaf also filed his nomination papers from Anantnag parliamentary seat. The prominent Gujjar leader was accompanied by former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah and senior Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir. “Mian Altaf is the candidate of INDIA bloc. We knew Ghulam Nabi Azad won’t contest from here because he didn’t contest from his native constituency. Now they have nominated candidate to show presence. Tomorrow is last date, let us see if BJP could find a candidate from Anantnag,” Omar said after submission of form.
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Apni Party candidate Zafar Manhas who was accompanied by senior leaders of party and dozens of workers also submitted his papers from Anantnag Rajouri Lok Sabha seat. “People shouldn’t trust those leaders who have fooled them from last 70 years,” said former PDP legislator who joined Apni Party after abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
Interestingly the BJP is silent about the party candidate. “We are waiting for directions from the party high command. We don’t know whether our party will contest elections or not. It has been kept suspense,” BJP state spokesman Altaf Thakur said
Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency will go to polls in the third phase of elections on May 7. Friday is the last date for filing of nominations in this constituency.