Lal Singh files nomination as Congress candidate from Udhampur seat

Jammu, March 27

Choudhary Lal Singh, who had recently rejoined the Congress, on Wednesday filed his nomination as the party’s candidate from Udhampur constituency. He will be a challenger to sitting Udhampur MP and Union Minister Jitendra Singh.

Accompanied by AICC in-charge for J&K affairs Bharat Solanki and party’s UT chief Vikas Rasool Wani, Lal Singh filed his nomination at the office of the Kathua District Magistrate.

Lal Singh, who had quit Congress, rejoined the party after he was assured of the ticket. The Congress, which had been struggling to find a candidate against heavyweight Jitendra,

has fielded Lal Singh, who is a popular face in pockets of the constituency, especially in Kathua and adjoining districts.

There are eight candidates Xin the fray in this Lok Sabha constituency, including Jitendra Singh, Lal Singh and Democratic Progressive Azad Party’s (DPAP) GM Saroori, who holds influence in Doda and Kishtwar districts. Saroori is likely to split Muslim votes between Congress and the DPAP.

The Udhampur constituency goes to vote in the first phase of elections on April 19.

ED moves HC for bail cancellation

• The ED has moved the J&K and Ladakh High Court for cancellation of bail of Choudhary Lal Singh
• The Central agency had arrested Singh last year. After spending some days in ED custody and jail, he was granted bail
• He had been held in the money laundering case of an educational trust run by his wife and ex-MLA Kanta Andotra