NC releases list of 18 candidates to contest in phase-I

Srinagar, Aug 26: Soon after the seat sharing between National Conference and Congress was finalized, the president of regional NC, Dr Farooq Abdullah has issued the names of 18 candidates from the party, who are contesting elections in the first phase of three-phased assembly polls.
As Tuesday will be the last day for filing the nomination papers, the NC president and former Member of Parliament this evening issued the list of 18 candidates, contesting the upcoming polls on the party ticket in Jammu and Kashmir.

Out of 18 candidates, 12 are contesting in southern districts of Kashmir, the list reveals, adding that the six others will be contesting in Jammu division including Banihal, Doda and Bhaderwah where friendly contest is expected between the alliance partners.
As per the list, Justice Hussnain Masoodi has been given mandate to contest from Pampore assembly constituency while Mohammad Khalil Bandh will contest from Pulwama.
Gh. Mohi-Ud-Din Mir to fight from Rajpora, Showkat Hussain Ganie from Zainpora, Sheikh Mohammad Rafi from Shopian, Sakina Ittoo from D.H. Pora, Peerzada Feroze Ahmad from Devsar, Chowdary Zaffer Ahmad from Larnoo, Abdul Majeed Larmi from Anantnag West, Dr Bashir Ahmad Veeri from Bijbehara, Reyaz Ahmad Khan from Anantnag East, Altaf Ahmad Kaloo from Pahalgam, Mehboob Iqbal from Bhaderwah, Khalid Najeeb Soharwardy from Doda, Arjun Singh Raju from Ramban, Sajad Shaheen from Banihal, Sajad Kichloo from Kishtwar and Pooja Thokur from Pader-Nagsani.
The list was made public by the party soon after the leadership of NC-Congress addressed the media persons here in which they informed to have decided to have finalized the seat sharing.
The two parties have decided that NC will be contesting from 51 seats while Congress will contest from 32 seats. Besides there will be a friendly contest between the two parties in five assembly segments while one each seat has been given to CPI (M) and Panther party.