KL Desk
Srinagar
The upcoming elections to 4 vacant seats of legislative council under panchayat quota, due for polls on December 3 led to major activities in state’s political arena. Different aspiring candidates are believed to be working overtime to bag respective candidatures of their respective parties, in a bid to win membership to the State Legislative Council.
To consult the Congress High Command on finalization of candidates for the LC elections, State Congress Chief, Saifuddin Soz is shortly leaving for Delhi with a panel of members, “I have arrived in Srinagar and will be leaving for consultation to Delhi after which we will announce our candidates”, Soz told to a local news agency, KNS.
Sources in the state Congress maintain that senior politicians Gulam Nabi Monga and Abdul Rashid Paddar are in contention for the Kashmir seat whileas Mangat Ram Sharma and Mula Ram are being considered for the Jammu seat of the Legislative Council.
Pertinently, the coalition coordination committee (CC) on Monday had constituted two committees for deciding modalities for LC elections. “The committees have been given responsibility for coordinating and we will ensure best results in the elections”, said senior Congress leader and Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand.
One of the the two committees set up by the coalition is lead by Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Ali Muhammad Sagar, with Choudhary M Ramzan, Peerzada Muhammad Syed and G A Mir as its other members.
The other committee is led by Tara Chand with SS Salathia, Ajay Sadhotra and Ravindra Sharma as its members.
Meanwhile according to the sources, that the National Conference has also shortlisted its probable candidates for the LC polls. “Names of Showkat Ahmad Ganai, Ali Mohammad Dar and Ratan Lal Gupta are under active consideration”, the sources added.
Opposition Peoples Democratic Party is also believed to have zeroed in on some names for contesting the elections. Saifuddin Bhat, Pir Mohammad Hussain and Gh Mohiuddin Sofi are being said to be major contenders for the candidature to fight the elections.
However, PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, who has left for Delhi said: “Within next 2 or 3 days, we will decide and announce the names of candidates.”
Meanwhile, PDF Chairman and former Minister, Hakim Yasin said names of candidates by the 3rd front will be decided in a meeting scheduled for Wednesday.
The Panthers Party, according to sources, has framed a 9 member panel for finalizing the names of four candidates to contest the LC polls.
“Prominent among them are Muhammd Maqbool Malik, Dr Iqbal, Masood Andrabi and Abdul Rashid Ganie”, the sources said.
