Soz's name not in Congress list

Union Minister and Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Saif-ud-din Soz's name did not figure from Baramulla constituency in the list released by the party today.

Union Minister and Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Saif-ud-din Soz's name did not figure from Baramulla constituency in the list released by the party on Tuesday, triggering speculation that he might not contest the assembly poll.

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The Congress released a list of 31 candidates which did not contain the name of the Union Waters Resources Minister who was widely believed to contest from Baramulla.

The party fielded Ghulam Nabi Monga from the prestigious North Kashmir constituency, fuelling speculation that the JKPCC chief might not enter the fray.

Baramulla along with 17 other seats will go to polls in the fourth round of the staggered Jammu and Kashmir assembly election on December seven.

In the high-profile Ganderbal constituency, Congress nominee Sheikh Mohammad Ashfaq, a police officer, will lock horns with National Conference chief Omar Abdullah who filed his nomination yesterday.

Ashfaq recently quit his job to contest the election from his home constituency.

His father Sheikh Abdul Jabbar, a senior NC leader, threw his lot with Ghulam Mohammad Shah in 1984 bringing down the then Farooq Abdullah-led government.

Notable among those who find their names in the list were former ministers Taj Mohiuddin, Abdul Gani Vakil, Manohar Lal Sharma and Thakur Puran Singh.

Kanta Andotra, the lone woman candidate and wife of Congress leader and MP Lal Singh, will contest from Basohli.

State unit's senior vice-president Mohammad Muzaffar Parray will try his luck from Sangrama in Baramulla district.