Parties gear up for Lok Sabha by-polls in Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah, Nazir Khan file nomination papers

National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and ruling PDP candidate Nazir Ahmad Khan on Monday filed their nomination papers for Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency which is going to by-polls on April 9.

Abdullah and Khan filed their nomination papers before the Returning Officer Farooq Ahmad Lone.

The by-election to Srinagar constituency has been necessitated by the resignation of Tariq Hamid Karra from the Lok Sabha in September last year in a mark of protest against alleged “brutalities” on protesters. He defeated Abdullah in 2014 Lok Sabha polls while contesting on a PDP ticket.

Karra, who recently joined Congress, is not contesting the polls this time following a seat-sharing agreement between National Conference and his new party.

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Congress is contesting the South Kashmir Lok Sabha seat where Pradesh Congress Committee president G A Mir will take on PDP’s Mufti Tassaduq Hussain, brother of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

The polling in south Kashmir is scheduled for April 12. PDP candidate for Srinagar constituency, Khan also filed his papers on Monday. He was accompanied by PDP Lok Sabha MP from Baramulla and senior party leader Muzaffar Hussain Beigh and former state minister Imran Ansari.