Congress names 6 for J&K Assembly elections; fields JKPCC chief Karra from Central Shalteng   

New Delhi, September 2

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The Congress on Monday released its second list of six candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, fielding JKPCC chief Tariq Hameed Karra from Central Shalteng.

The list was released soon after Congress’ Central Election Committee met here to finalise names of candidates for the elections, which the party is contesting in alliance with the National Conference.

Apart from J-K Pradesh Congress Committee chief Karra, the party has fielded Mumtaz Khan from Reasi, Bhupender Jamwal from Mata Vaishno Devi, Iftikhar Ahmed from Rajouri (ST), Shabbir Ahmed Khan from Thannamandi (ST) and Mohammad Shahnawaz Choudhary from Surankote (ST).

These constituencies will go to polls in the second phase of the three-phase Assembly elections.

The total number of candidates declared by the party is now 15.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, general secretary in-charge (organisation) K C Venugopal, Karra, Jammu and Kashmir screening committee chief Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and senior leader Salman Khurshid, among others, attended the meeting at the AICC headquarters here.

The National Conference and the Congress have finalised the seat-sharing formula and will contest 51 and 32 seats, respectively.

One seat each has been allotted to the CPI(M) and the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP).

Last week, the Congress had issued its first list of nine candidates for the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, fielding party general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir from Dooru and former JKPCC chief Vikar Rasool Wani from Banihal.

The party also fielded Surinder Singh Channi from the Tral seat, Amanullah Mantoo from Devsar, Peerzada Mohammad Syed from Anantnag, Shaikh Zafarullah from Inderwal, Nadeem Sharief from Bhadarwah, Sheikh Riyaz from Doda and Pradeep Kumar Bhagat from Doda West.

The Jammu and Kashmir elections will be held in three phases—September 18, September 25 and October 1 -- followed by counting of votes on October 8.