Over hundred file nominations for J&K polls on last day; former members of banned Jamaat Islami in race

Over a hundred candidates from various political parties and Independents filed nominations on Tuesday in various districts for the first phase of assembly elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The National Conference, Congress, PDP, and BJP leaders were seen carrying huge rallies towards the nomination centres.

Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah accompanied senior leader of National Conference Altaf Kaloo as he filed his nomination for the upcoming assembly election from Pahalgam constituency. Hundreds of people rallied behind the leaders as they walked towards the RO's office. JKNC President Dr Farooq Abdullah joined senior leader Hasnain Masoodi as he officially filed his nomination for the Pampore constituency.

The National Conference also released the second list of candidates, which included party vice president Omar Abdullah. Omar will be fighting from the Ganderbal constituency.

"Today is the last day to file nominations for the first phase. We have given our manifesto and roadmap. We have decided on a seat-sharing agreement with Congress. We aim to fight against the BJP like a consolidated front. Those who could not get the ticket due to the pre-poll alliance from our party will be adjusted in future,'' said Omar Abdullah.

PDP President Mehbooba Mufti accompanied her daughter Iltija Mufti, who filed her nomination from the Bijbehara Constituency. Iltija will be fighting the electionfor the first time while Mehbooba Mufti is likely to stay away and not contest herself.

''This is a big honour for me that I have been asked to file papers for the Bijbehara Constituency. This is the constituency where Veeri Saab has done phenomenal work in his four terms that he has been chosen and Mehbooba Ji also started her career from here and today is a very emotional day for me and I am very honoured. It was a very emotional moment for me, and I was missing Mufti Saab a lot,'' said Iltija Mufti.

In a big development, the former Jamaat Islami members have also started filing their nominations. Jamaat Islami was banned by the Home Ministry but now its former members have started coming into mainstream to fight assembly elections. In South Kashmir's Kulgam District, Nazir Ahmad Bhat, a former member of Jamaat-e-Islami, filed his nomination for the Devsar Assembly constituency.

''There was a lot of injustice here. Last year, my two nephews were arrested, and despite seeking help from many leaders, no one helped. At that time, I decided to serve the people. There was fear of rigging in the parliamentary elections, but it didn’t happen, which gave me the courage to contest. That was the time I decided to fight, and I will make sure to win. I was associated with Jamaat because I used to attend their functions,'' said Nazir Ahmad Bhat.

However, Omar Abdullah took a dig at Jamaat and said that till now contesting elections was “haram” for the JeI, but now it's “halal”. “If they are willing to contest polls it's a welcome step. We wanted them to contest on their own symbol, but that didn’t happen due to its ban,” he added.

Jammu and Kashmir is going to polls in three phases starting on September 18. The counting will be on October 4.