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| Farooq v/s Khalida in Central Kashmir | | First ever clash of Sheikhs siblings imminent | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
Srinagar, APR 16: It is not the outsiders alone that are proving a challenge to National Conference President Farooq Abdullah for his battle for supremacy in Srinagar-Budgam parliamentary elections on May 07, but family members are proving a much bigger challenge for him as his sister will be his opponent during the elections.
Reports today said that Farooq Abdullah son of National Conference founder Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah may face her sister Begum Khalida Shah, widow of former Chief Minister of late Ghulam Muhammad Shah who toppled the Farooq led government in 1984.
Sources said that the Awami National Conference has decided to field its president, Begum Khalida Shah for the prestigious Srinagar-Budgam lok Sabha constituency.
Earlier, the brother sister duo was speculated to fight each other in assembly polls from Sonawar constituency but Khalida, sources said, was unprepared even though she campaigned for the party in several constituencies.
The ANC, which failed to win a single seat in the last years Assembly election, are contesting the parliamentary elections jointly with the Third Front.
Some observers believe that Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, the Prime Minister and later Chief Minister of the state, wished Khalida to be his real political heir rather then Farooq Abdullah.
Khalida and Farooq met each other after a long gap recently following the death of Ghulam Muhammad Shah on January 6 this year.
Shah had become the chief minister in 1984 after splitting the National Conference to cobble together a coalition with the Congress. Shah was finally ousted after his relationship with the Congress turned bitter.
The ANC did not take part in any elections till the November-December polls last year but failed to win even a single seat.
With the former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah likely to contest the elections from the Srinagar parliamentary constituency, it may turn out to be intriguing battle even though ANC is yet to carve political space.
However, Farooq Abdullahs name figures among two probable candidates along side the young NC leader Salman Sagar, son of Ali Mohammad Sagar, the minister for rural development in the coalition led by Omar Abdullah.
The final decision would be taken only after the consultations with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Farooq had told reporters while announcing the decision |
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