Srinagar:

Radical jailed separatist leader Sarjan Ahmad Wagay is set to take on former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah from the Ganderbal constituency in the upcoming Assembly elections. His nomination papers have been accepted from two assembly constituencies – Ganderbal and Beerwah. 

Omar Abdullah, however, on Friday alleged that the BJP and central government were putting up the jailed separatist against him so that he would be defeated in assembly elections.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the NC’s vice president was defeated by Engineer Rashid, who is lodged in Delhi’s Tihar jail on terror funding charges.

“Leaders in Delhi dislike me. But the fact that they hate me so much is getting evident to me. Why are candidates in jail only contesting against me,” Mr Abdullah said.

He said he now smells a rat even in Engineer Rashid’s Lok Sabha victory from the Baramulla parliament seat. 

“I never saw a plot in the victory of Engineer Rashid, who had contested elections earlier too. But when the news came about Sarjan Barkati contesting from Ganderbal, I could see a plot,” he said.

“Some agencies felt that I may also contest from Beerwah, where I won the last time. He (Barkati) was first asked to file from Ganderbal and then from Beerwah. I circumvented them and filed from Budgam instead of Beerwa” he said.

The separatist cleric, also known as Sarjan Barkati, was the face of 2016 violent agitations in Kashmir after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in 2016.

In his speeches, he openly incited youth to pick up guns, asking them to become suicide bombers. He also used to say that guns were the only solution and called for attacks on symbols of India.

He was first arrested in 2016 and a case was filed against him under the Public Safety Act. He was again arrested last year and is facing charges under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

His wife is also in jail on terror funding charges.

Srinagar:

After its seat-sharing arrangement with the Congress was finalised, National Conference (NC) Monday issued its first list of 18 candidates for the first phase of the three-phased assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

The party in a post on X said the list was approved by NC president Farooq Abdullah.

The party named its former MP from Anantnag, Justice (Retd) Hassnain Masoodi, as its candidate from Pampore and former legislator Mohammad Khalil Bandh from Pulwama.

The NC announced the name of Ghulam Mohi-Ud-Din Mir from Rajpora, Showkat Hussain Ganie from Zainpora, Sheikh Mohammad Rafi from Shopian and former minister Sakina Ittoo from DH Pora.

It also named Peerzada Feroze Ahmad from Devsa, Chowdary Zaffer Ahmad from Larnoo, Abdul Majeed Larmi from Anantnag West, Bashir Ahmad Veeri from Bijbehara, Reyaz Ahmad Khan from Anantnag East and Altaf Ahmad Kaloo from Pahalgam. All these seats are in south Kashmir.

For the seats in Jammu region, the NC announced Mehboob Iqbal from Bhaderwah, Khalid Najeeb Soharwardy from Doda, Arjun Singh Raju from Ramban, Sajad Shaheen from Banihal, former minister Sajad Kichloo from Kishtwar and Pooja Thokur from Pader-Nagsani.

After hectic negotiation, the NC and the Congress Monday agreed to contest 51 and 32 seats respectively for the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

One seat each has been allotted to the CPI(M) and the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP), the allies announced at a joint press conference at the NC president’s residence here after day-long negotiations.

They also said there will be a “friendly contest” on five seats of the Union Territory.

The first phase of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held on September 18, second on September 25 and the third on October 1. Counting of votes will be undertaken on October 4. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)