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| Barring two surprise faces, Congress repeating oldies | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Oct 24: Barring a couple of unthinkable surprises, the Congress is likely to repeat the old faces on all constituencies going to polls in first phase notification for which was issued today.
Sources said that Congress is set to contest on nine out of ten constituencies across four districts –Poonch, Bandipora, Kargil and Leh –where polling will be held on November 17. On one of the constituencies the party was likely to skip elections in a strategic manner.
Sources said that except at one constituency each in Poonch district and Leh district the Congress was likely to spring a major political surprise by fielding unexpectedly new faces. In all other constituencies, the party is likely to repeat the old faces who either tried in 2002 or won as independents and later joined Congress.
To discuss the potential candidates, the Pradesh Congress Committee chief Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz chaired a crucial meeting in Srinagar this evening which was attended by all senior leaders associated with various election committees of the party. Sources said that the Congress has zeroed in on a list of names which will be sent to the party high command. New Delhi is likely to Okay the list by Sunday, said sources.
Six of the ten seats going to polls in first phase were held by the National Conference in the previous assembly, three by Congress-affiliate independents and one by independent. However, the National Conference tally was reduced December last year when Congress snatched its seat after demise of sitting legislator Ghulam Mohammad Jaan.
Nawang Rigzin Jora, Pinto Narbo and Haji Nisar Ali won from Leh, Nobra and Kargil respectively as independent candidates but later switched their loyalties to the Congress. Usman Majid who had won from Bandipore as independent candidate in 2002 elections did not join any party.
National Conference is also believed to be in a consensus on repeating its sitting legislators on these constituencies. Till dissolution of assembly in July this year, Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, Javed Ahmed Rana, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Nazir Gurezi and Ali Raza represented respectively Surankote, Mendhar, Sonawari, Gurez and Zanskar constituencies. |
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