Azad will return for campaigning: DPAP

Jammu, September 1

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Two days after four candidates of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) withdrew their candidature, the party has said that former Chief Minister and party chief Ghulam Nabi Azad was recovering and would campaign for the remaining candidates.

Azad had recently left for New Delhi after he complained of chest pain. Many party leaders were left shocked due to his sudden absence. There were reports that Azad might have chosen to save his face by not campaigning as the party’s graph was “declining significantly”.

Four DPAP candidates — Mohammed Aslam Goni from Bhaderwah, Fatima Begum from Inderwal, Asif Ahmad Khanday from Banihal and Girdhari Lal Bahu from Ramban —withdrew their nomination on August 30. All these seats are in the Chenab Valley region, once considered to be Azad’s stronghold.

DPAP chief spokesperson Salman Nizami said: “There are rumours that we have withdrawn from the poll, but these are untrue. We are contesting on limited seats, but with dedication.”

“Ghulam Nabi Azad was not well and had to be admitted to AIIMS, but now he has been discharged. He is recovering and will campaign for the candidates during the last days of the poll,” Nizami added.

Nizami said that Azad will campaign for second and third phase of the poll as well. “Our party is focussed on development and all candidates will do the same. When Azad was an MP, he always talked about the development of Jammu and Kashmir. It seems like J&K currently has no say in the Parliament,” he said.

Eight seats of Jammu region — three each in Doda and Kishtwar and two in Ramban district — will go to polls on September 18. The three districts constitute the Chenab Valley region of Jammu.

The two DPAP candidates who are still in fray in the Jammu division are Abdul Majid Wani from Doda and Abdul Ghani fromDoda West. Azad’s confidant GM Saroori is contesting as an Independent from Inderwal in Kishtwar district. Party candidates in Kashmir have not withdrawn their nomination.