Sajjad Lone to hold show of strength in Baramulla on May 16
Sajjad Lone is locked in a direct fight with former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who is contesting from Baramulla on a National Conference ticket
As the elections for the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat draws closer, the Sajjad Gani Lone-led People’s Conference (PC) will on Thursday hold a show of strength at the Degree College in Baramulla.
Lone is locked in a direct fight with former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who is contesting on a National Conference (NC) ticket. Abdullah has also held a rally in Baramulla at the Degree College ground, as did Union home minister Amit Shah. The venue is located just 5-km from Baramulla.
Sharing details about the planned event, PC spokesperson Adnan Ashraf said, “It will be the biggest mainstream political rally in Jammu and Kashmir not just after 2019, but in the last two or three decades. We are expecting a mammoth crowd. Our party is receiving tremendous response in all assembly segments of Baramulla and the rally will be our last big programme before the culmination of our campaign.”
The party, which was a runner up in Baramulla in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, is hopeful of success this time around, fielding a strong name in the form of Lone, who has personal rapport with leaders in all the assembly segments of the Lok Sabha seat. “The rally will set the tone for our victory and there is a possibility some other political leaders also announce their support for PC,” a leader who is making arrangements for the rally said.
Lone, a former animal husbandry minister in the Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition state government led by Mehbooba Mufti, is aiming for a debut in the Parliament. On the other hand Abdullah, who has had past stints in the Parliament and also served as minister of state for external affairs in Atal Bihari Vajpayee-government, is debuting from Baramulla constituency.
In the past 10 days, the campaign in north Kashmir has picked up as both Lone and Abdullah are holding back-to-back rallies. PDP, which has given ticket to former MP Fayaz Mir, and supporters of jailed former legislator Engineer Rashid are also holding roadshows, rallies and meetings in different parts of north Kashmir.
Among other big names, NC president Farooq Abdullah held events in Kupwara district, while PDP president Mufti also attended a rally in Singpora.
Lone had launched his campaign months before his opponents and is putting extra efforts in the final leg.
The Baramulla Lok Sabha seat is spread over four districts Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora and Budgam and in the last election the NC won the seat.
