Mehbooba Mufti to contest from Anantnag

Srinagar: Former chief minister and president of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti said on Saturday that she would contest the Lok Sabha elections from south Kashmir’s Anantnag constituency.

Addressing a media conference at her high-security Fairview residence on the Gupkar Road in Srinagar on Saturday, Mehbooba Mufti said she will contest the Lok Sabha polls from Anantnag constituency.

She also announced that PDP leader, Agha Mohsin will be the PDP candidate for the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.

The party has already announced the candidature of Abdul Qayoom Wani for the north Kashmir Baramulla seat.

In a significant development, she said the PDP would not field any candidate for the Lok Sabha seats in Jammu division.

She said the decision has been taken to strengthen secular vote in Jammu and Udhampur Lok Sabha constituencies.

She had won the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Anantnag. She resigned from Parliament in 2016 to become the chief minister of the state following the death of her father, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.

Due to the challenging law and order situation, by-poll for the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat could not be held after Mehbooba Mufti vacated the seat.

[source_without_link]IANS[/source_without_link]