The Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) announced on Wednesday that party chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad will not be contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from the Anantnag-Rajouri seat in Jammu and Kashmir. Instead, the party has chosen Mohammad Saleem Parray as its candidate for the constituency.
Mohammad Amin Bhat, the DPAP’s provincial president for Kashmir, confirmed the decision, indicating a shift from the party’s earlier announcement. “Azad will not contest the elections (from Anantnag-Rajouri seat).” He further asserted that a meeting was held with Azad previously where they decided that advocate Saleem Parray will be the candidate from DPAP for the Anantnag-Rajouri seat.
Bhat mentioned that Ghulam Nabi Azad had expressed that he had personal reasons which is why he wished to opt out of contesting for the elections, although the specific details were not disclosed during the meeting. “He gave some reasons (in the meeting) and then we took a decision on fielding Parray from the seat,” Bhat said.
The party had earlier confirmed that Azad was going to contest for the Anantnag-Rajouri seat on April 2. Taj Mohiuddin, another prominent DPAP leader, had conveyed the party’s decision at the time, stating, “Today the core committee of DPAP met and we have decided that (party president) Ghulam Nabi Azad will contest the Anantnag-Rajouri seat,
In the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, notable political figures like Mehbooba Mufti of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Mian Altaf of the National Conference are also contesting for the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat.
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