 Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 29: Within two years after its formation, the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) is facing identity crises as the founder of the party and veteran politician Ghulam Nabi Azad has himself dumped his own political outfit which was founded in September 2022.
After 13 candidates of his party filed their nomination papers for the first phase of Assembly elections, Ghulam Nabi Azad announced not to campaign for party candidates citing health issues.
Notably, vice president and one of the founder members of DPAP and former minister Ghulam Mohammad Saroori has filed his nomination papers from the Inderwal Assembly segment as an Independent candidate.
Saroori, who won three successive Assembly elections from the Inderwal Assembly constituency in 2002, 2008, and 2014, filed his nomination papers on the last date of filing papers on August 27.
Azad, the 75-year-old leader of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), has announced that he will not be able to campaign for his party's candidates in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections due to unforeseen health issues. This decision comes as a significant blow to the party, which is contesting its first assembly election since its founding in September 2022.
The DPAP has fielded 13 candidates for the first phase of voting, scheduled for September 18, including two former MLAs, Abdul Majeed Wani and Mohammad Amin Bhat. However, with Azad's absence from the campaign trail, their fate remains uncertain.
In a statement, Azad expressed his regret and gave his candidates the freedom to withdraw their nominations if they felt his absence would negatively impact their chances.
“The unforeseen circumstances have forced me to step back from the campaign trail. The candidates should assess whether they can continue without my presence. If they feel my absence would impact their chances, they have the freedom to withdraw their candidacy,” Azad said. |
