Two former CMs, several ex-ministers in fray for sixth phase of polls

Jammu, Dec.16 (ANI): The sixth phase of elections, for which polling is being held tomorrow, has two former chief ministers of the state in fray, besides a number of ex-ministers and legislators.

Sixteen Assembly constituencies in five districts of Kulgam, Anantnag, Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban will vote in the penultimate phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections on Wednesday.

While former Chief Minister and PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed will contest from Anantnag Assembly constituency as a PDP candidate, Ghulam Nabi Azad will contest the polls from the Bhaderwah Assembly constituency on a Congress ticket.

Sayeed represented the Pahalgam assembly constituency in the previous assembly while Azad is contesting from Bhaderwah constituency, which he represented in the previous assembly also.

There are 22 other candidates in fray from Anantnag constituency, including NC Provincial President and former minister, Mirza Mehboob Beigh.

Similarly, there are 13 contestants in fray for Bhaderwah Assembly constituency, including ex-legislator and former BJP State President, Daya Krishan, besides former Advocate General of Jammu and Kashmir Mohammad Aslam Goni of the National Conference.

Among former ministers, Abdul Aziz Zargar of PDP and Sakina Itoo of NC, along with 13 others are contesting from Noorabad Assembly constituency of Kulgam district.

Abdul Gafar Sofi, a former minister in the Mufti Sayeed government, along with 12 others, is contesting from the Homeshalibug Assembly constituency of Kulgam district.

Former minister in the Farooq Abdullah government, Peerzada Ghulam Ahmad Shah and MLC, Mohammad Amin Bhat, a Congress candidate, along with 18 others are contesting from Devsar constituency.

Another former legislator, Mohammad Yousuf Rather of CPI (M) is in fray from Kulgam Assembly constituency. In all, 18 candidates are contesting from this constituency.

In Anantnag district, former Congress ministers, Peerzada Mohammad Syed and Ghulam Ahmad Mir are in the fray from Kokernag and Dooru Assembly constituencies. Former minister, Mohamamd Akbar Ganie is also contesting from Dooru constituency.

Likewise, former minister Abdul Rehman Bhat Veeri of PDP is in fray from Bijbehara constituency along with 11 other contestants. Rafi Ahmad Mir, MLC is contesting from Pahalgam Assembly constituency.

In Jammu division's Kishtwar district, former minister in the Ghulam Nabi Azad Government, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori is contesting from Inderwal constituency. In all, there are 18 contestants in fray in Inderwal constituency. Former legislator, Sajad Ahmed Kichloo, is again contesting on NC ticket from Kishtwar Assembly constituency, along with 12 other candidates.

In Doda district, former ministers, Abdul Majid Wani of the Congress and Khalid Najeeb Suharwardy of NC are in fray in Doda Assembly constituency, along with 18 others.

From Ramban Assembly constituency, former legislators Chaman Lal of NC and Bali Bhagat of BJP are contesting, along with 11 others while as former legislators, Moulvi Abdul Rashid and Farooq Ahmad Mir are contesting as independents from Banihal Assembly constituency. In all, there are 24 contestants in fray from Banihal constituency, which is the highest number of candidates in any of the 16 constituencies going to polls tomorrow. By Tahir Nadeem Khan (ANI)