Anantnag-Rajouri LS seat: Mian Altaf, Mehbooba, Manhas file nominations

SRINAGAR: National Conference candidate Mian Altaf, People Democratic Party’s candidate Mehbooba Mufti and Apni Party’s candidate Zaffar Manhas on Thursday filed their nomination papers for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat.
All three political leaders filed the nomination papers before Deputy Commissioner Anantnag Syed Fakhruddin, who is the returning officer of the constituency.
Mian Altaf was the first one to file nomination papers.
Senior National Conference leader Mian Altaf was accompanied by National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah, party workers and Congress General Secretary G. A. Mir. National Conference nominated Mian Altaf as a candidate on April 1st.
Mian Altaf replaced Hassan Masoodi on the Anantnag seat. Hassan Masoodi won the Lok Sabha parliament election from Anantnag in 2019.
Talking to the media, Omar Abdullah said, “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”.
Omar further expressed gratitude to Congress leader Mir. Omar said I would like to thank Mian Altaf for coming here all the way from Delhi.
Omar was further asked about Ghulam Nabi Azad’s decision to withdraw their name from the parliament election. To which he said, “It is not shocking; we already knew that he would not contest elections”.
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.
After Mian Altaf, PDP President Mehbooba Mufti filed the nomination papers before Deputy Commissioner Anantnag Syed Fakhruddin. Senior party leaders and a huge number of party workers flanked Mehbooba.
Later, while speaking to journalists, the former Chief Minister appealed to the people not to boycott the elections. She emphasized that these elections are crucial for responding to the BJP's actions against the dignity, identity, and resources of Jammu and Kashmir. Mehbooba stressed that the people must use their voting power to defeat the BJP.
"I urge all the people of Jammu and Kashmir not to boycott the elections. There are attempts to encourage boycotts, particularly in South Kashmir. We must expose these conspiracies. Vote for the candidate whom you believe will advocate for the oppressed people. Our land, resources, and jobs are being snatched away from us, and there are attempts to turn Kashmiris into bonded enslaved people. This is our land, and we will not allow its plundering at any cost. People must vote this time and vote cautiously in favour of the candidates who can represent them and speak truth to power without any fear and any partiality," Mehbooba said.
The PDP president highlighted that this Lok Sabha election is more than just about developmental issues such as electricity, water, and roads. Instead, it is about addressing the onslaught on the dignity, identity, property, and resources of the region since 2019. She emphasized that the election transcends party lines and is about the current state of Kashmir being transformed into an open prison.
"Today, all our resources are being stripped away, and efforts are being made to turn us into bonded labourers. We will not allow this. This land and the opportunities it holds belong to us. We will not permit our identity to be eroded."
Later, Zaffar Manhas filed the nomination papers with Deputy Commissioner Anantnag Syed Fakhruddin.
Talking to the media, Manhas said, “People can’t forget those who committed wrongs in the past 70 years”. Manhas said that it’s the public who ultimately decides the outcome of an election and said that there are no big or small candidates.
He pointed out that while some candidates carry the burden of decades of incumbency, he is grateful not to have such baggage and believes they will be held accountable for their lengthy tenures.
It is important to note that notification for the Anantnag-Rajouri seat was issued on April 12th, the date of filing of nominations was April 19th, the scrutiny of nominations was April 20th, and the last date of withdrawal of candidature was April 22nd. The date of polling the seat is on May 7th, the counting of votes is on June 4th, and the result will be announced on June 6th, 2024.