Nominees’ security a major concern: Cong

Jammu, September 24

As the candidates are filing nomination papers, the Congress is concerned about their security in Kashmir as militant outfits have become aggressive.

“The situation in Kashmir is very grim and lives of candidates are at risk. That is why the Congress has put a rider that the government should provide security to candidates and others involved in the election process,” Sham Lal Sharma, senior Congress leader, told The Tribune.

The state had announced municipal elections in the state on September 15 despite the fact that two major political parties of the state, NC and PDP, had decided to boycott the same. 

The Congress feels that the government should have taken all parties on board before announcing these elections. “A sense of democracy hasn’t prevailed as the direction is coming from a single person. The need of the hour was to take all parties on board,” Sharma said.

He said in 1996, Farooq Abdullah was brought back from England to participate in the Assembly elections. “The situation was not good at that moment too and candidates had to face a tough time,” Sharma said.

Commenting on the Congress’ preparations for these polls, he said names of all candidates for the first phase of the elections had been approved by the committee and

the filing of nominations was in progress. “Names are also being cleared for the second phase,” Sharma said. — TNS