Ministers accompany BJP nominees, Omar’s sons join NC candidates
*DPAP, PDP, BSP, JKAP leaders also file papers
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 10: Four former Ministers, two legislators, SSP and BJP rebel were among nearly three dozen candidates who joined the electoral contest today from 24 Assembly constituencies of Jammu division going to polls in third phase on October 1.
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As the Congress list for this phase was announced late last night, only three candidates of the party, filed the documents in Kathua district while their other nominees will join the fray in last two days left for closure of the nominations of third phase.
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September 12 is last day for filing papers. Scrutiny will be held next day and the candidates can withdraw their papers till September 17.
Former Minister and National Conference leader Ajay Sadhotra, a two-time MLA from Marh, marched in a road show to the office of the Returning Officer at Janipura from Paloura before filing his papers. He was accompanied by Mula Ram and Bhanu Partap Singh. His name was proposed by Subhash Bhagat while his Advocate was Ajay Sharma.
Omar Abdullah’s sons, sitting atop a decorated vehicle alongside Sadhotra wearing garlands, were seen waving to the crowds and shaking hands with them as several thousand National Conference (NC) workers and supporters chanted slogans during the road show, covering a distance of nearly one kilometre.
Omar’s sons later also joined NC candidate from Udhampur East Sunil Verma in filing nomination papers in the afternoon. Verma is pitted against BJP’s RS Pathania. BJP leader Pawan Khajuria, who has revolted against the BJP on being denied mandate, has announced that he will file papers as an Independent candidate tomorrow from Udhampur East.
Sadhotra, whose candidature is backed by the Congress, will be facing BJP’s Sham Sharma in Jammu North among others. Sharma filed his papers yesterday. Badri Nath also joined the electoral contest from Jammu North today as the BSP candidate.
BJP national secretary Dr Narinder Singh Raina joined first battle of ballots in his political career today from RS Pura-Jammu South Assembly segment. Former Union Minister and Lok Sabha Member Anurag Thakur accompanied Raina while filing the papers. A massive road show was held by Raina on the occasion.
Congress has named former Minister and two-time MLA from Gandhi Nagar Raman Bhalla as its candidate from RS Pura-Jammu South.
Choudhary Gharu Ram, another former Minister and Ghulam Nabi Azad’s DPAP candidate, filed his nomination papers from RS Pura-Jammu South seat today. Gharu represented Suchetgarh constituency in 2002.
In Kathua district, BJP’s Satish Sharma and Congress candidate Kajal Rajput entered the electoral contest from Billawar and Bani constituencies respectively. Kajal is lone woman candidate in Jammu division so far though the party is yet to name candidates on three seats including Chhamb, Akhnoor and Suchetgarh.
Satish Sharma was joined by Union Minister of State in the PMO Dr Jitendra Singh at the time of filing of nominations. A massive rally was also held on the occasion. The Congress yesterday announced the name of former Minister and two-times MLA Manohar Lal Sharma from Billawar seat. Manohar had lost the election to Dr Nirmal Singh, former Deputy Chief Minister, in 2014.
Congress candidate Kajal Rajput filed the documents from Bani seat. She told newspapers that she will work for welfare of the hilly constituency and ensure basic amenities. BJP candidate Jeevan Lal, who won the seat in 2014, filed his papers from Bani yesterday.
Congress candidate Balbir Singh, 1996 MLA from Billawar and ex MLC and Rakesh Choudhary filed papers from Jasrota and Hiranagar seats respectively.
Sandeep Majotra filed nomination from Kathua segment as BSP nominee, while Balbir Singh of BSP joined contest in Hiranagar.
BJP, however, suffered a jolt as senior party leader Chander Mohan Sharma filed nomination papers from Jammu East constituency as an Independent candidate on being denied the party mandate. BJP has named Yudhvir Sethi while Congress has fielded Yogesh Sawhney from Jammu East segment.
Former Minister Devender Manyal, who won Samba seat in 2014, has been shifted this time to Ramgarh (SC Reserve) seat where he entered the fray today by submitting documents to the Returning Officer in the presence of BJP MP Jugal Kishore Sharma. Congress has fielded two-time Samba MLA Yashpal Kundal from Ramgarh seat. Parshotam Singh today filed his papers from Ramgarh as BSP candidate.
Former Minister Harshdev Singh joined the contest from Chenani constituency in Udhampur district. BJP has fielded Harshdev’s cousin Balwant Singh Mankotia from Chenani.
Former SSP Mohan Lal Bhagat who took voluntary retirement from services last month and was given BJP mandate from Akhnoor seat filed his papers today in the presence of Union Minister G Kishen Reddy.
Joginder Singh alias Kaku joined the battle of ballots from Nagrota constituency today as National Conference candidate.
DPAP candidate Vinod Mishra filed nominations from Samba seat today. Lovely Mangol (Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party), Baldev Raj (BSP), Bhanu Partap Singh, Sandeep Singh Sambyal and Reena Choudhary also joined the fray from Samba as Independent candidates.
PDP candidate Bachan Lal and Raj Singh (Independent) filed papers from Vijaypur seat of Samba district while Tilak Raj filed nominations as the BSP candidate from Bishnah.
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