 Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 7: Even as both the Democratic Progressive Alliance Party (DPAP) and J&K Apni Party have announced candidates for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, things are likely to be changed on this Parliamentary segment in the days to come. After a meeting of BJP leader Tarun Chugh with Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari, there are reports that dialogue also restarted between Ghulam Nabi Azad and Altaf Bukhari to reach an understanding.
Highly placed sources said that the leadership of both DPAP and Apni Party restarted the dialogue process to reach a consensus to give a joint fight to the PDP and National Conference on this seat.
On Sunday PDP announced party president Mehbooba Mufti as a candidate for this seat while the National Conference has already declared prominent Gujjar leader Mian Altaf as its candidate for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat.
On Saturday BJP’s Tarun Chugh and Peoples’ Conference chief Sajad Gani Lone visited Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari. Bukhari mentioned that the visit was not political but a friendly gesture as he was unwell. He also stated that the Apni Party’s candidate for the Baramulla parliamentary constituency would be announced after Eid.
The visit sparked speculation about a potential alliance against traditional parties like the National Conference, PDP, and Congress, particularly concerning the Baramulla seat, where Sajad Lone intends to run. However, Apni Party has not yet named its candidate for this seat, though it has for Srinagar and Anantnag-Rajouri-Poonch.
Previously, discussions of an alliance between Bukhari and Lone, and later with Ghulam Nabi Azad’s DPAP, were reported, but no formal alliance was established. Azad is set to contest from Anantnag-Rajouri-Poonch, with the Apni Party also fielding candidates in this and the Srinagar constituency. The political landscape remains dynamic as parties prepare for the upcoming elections. |
