Engineer Rashid, currently held in jail on UAPA charges, is set to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla constituency under the banner of the Awami Ittehad Party.
Abdul Rashid Sheikh, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, aged 56 and a former MLA, has been nominated as the candidate by the Awami Ittehad Party’s political affairs committee.
Firdous Baba, the party’s spokesperson, announced on Wednesday, “The decision to field Engineer Rashid as our candidate from the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency has been unanimously taken by the political affairs committee.”Expressing hope for Rashid’s release before the elections, Baba stated, “In case that does not happen, it has been decided that Rashid will contest the polls from jail. Our Constitution allows an accused person, who is not convicted, to contest elections from jail.”Rashid’s political journey includes being elected to the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly from Langate constituency in 2008 and subsequently re-elected in 2014. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he contested from Baramulla, securing the third position.
Despite his current legal situation, Rashid’s candidacy underscores his persistent commitment to representing the people of Baramulla and his resolve to participate in the democratic process.
