DPAP’s Saleem Parray among 25 file nominations from Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag

Earlier, there were indications that Ghulam Nabi Azad backing out from the poll race may push BJP to field its Jammu and Kashmir unit president Ravinder Raina from Anantanag

On the last day of filing nomination papers from Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, 25 candidates, including 17 independents filed their papers. However, no candidate from the Bharatiya Janata Party filed a nomination.

DPAP’s chairperson Ghulam Nabi Azad and party’s Anantnag candidate Saleem Paray during a rally ahead of filing the latter’s nomination papers. (ANI)

Earlier, there were indications that Ghulam Nabi Azad backing out from the poll race may push BJP to field its Jammu and Kashmir unit president Ravinder Raina from the seat. However, BJP leaders said that the high command has decided not to field any candidate from Kashmir. The saffron party will lend support to candidates from other political parties.

Advocate Saleem Parray, who replaced Azad as the DPAP candidate, meanwhile, filed his nomination papers from the seat.

Azad, who accompanied Parray, addressed the last-minute change, saying, “Leaders of my party want me to work in Jammu and Kashmir and not the Centre.”

Sources said the BJP is undecided over who to support on the seat after Azad’ss withdrawal.

On BJP not fielding its candidate from Anantnag, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference vice-president, Omar Abdullah said only BJP’s symbol was missing.

“The BJP candidates will be in fray on all seats. The BJP top leaders who come and meet people here are their candidates, people know everything,” he said.