AAP Releases First List of Candidates for J&K Assembly Elections

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday announced its first list of seven candidates for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. This marks the party’s debut in the state’s assembly polls, which are scheduled to take place in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1.

The candidates fielded by AAP include Fayaz Ahmed Sofi for Pulwama, Muddasir Hassan for Rajpora, and Sheikh Fida Hussain for Devsar. Additionally, Mohsin Shafkat Mir will contest from Dooru, Mehraj Din Malik from Doda, Yasir Shafi Matto from Doda West, and Musassir Azmat Mir from Banihal.

This election will be the first since the abrogation of Article 370, which stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status. The Election Commission has already issued a notification for the first phase, covering 24 constituencies.

In related developments, Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) also released its first list of 13 candidates. DPAP expressed their support for the candidates in a social media post, wishing them success as they prepare for the elections.

Meanwhile, the Congress has formed a pre-poll alliance with Farooq Abdullah’s National Conference (NC). The alliance was formalized after Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge held talks with Farooq Abdullah. The alliance will contest all 90 assembly seats, according to an announcement made by the NC in Srinagar.

The assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are expected to be highly contested, with multiple parties vying for influence in the region post-Article 370.