Congress leader Azad not in RS contestants list: Loyalists happy with Cong decision

Party high command accepted our suggestion, ex-CM to contest LS polls from Rajouri-Poonch-Anantnag seat’

Srinagar, May 30 : As the senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad didn’t figure in the list of party’s Rajya Sabha contestants, his loyalists on Monday said that the party has accepted their suggestions and that the former chief minister will be contesting in Lok Sabha elections from Rajouri-Poonch-Anantnag constituency in the next parliamentary polls.

“Everybody is happy with the decisions as it was our plan to see our leader contesting LS polls from J&K. We had approached the party high commands in this regard and they have accepted our suggestions,” Choudhary Akram former MLA Surankote told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).

He said that the people of J&K want Azad to contest LS polls. “Azad is a top level leader and people from noth Jammu as well as Kashmir love him. The people will be supporting Azad Sahab in LS polls,” he said, adding that the party high command has respected their suggestions.

Former MLA Kishtwar, G M Saroori said that Azad has personally rejected to participate in RS polls as he has decided to focus on Jammu and Kashmir only.

“Azad Sahab want to strengthen the party at the grass roots level. He has been given several assignments and wants to serve the people in J&K, who have been deprived of even the basic facilities here from last several years,” he said.

“The party had already decided not to figure Azad Sahab in the list of RS contestants. With this decisions, the party leaders as well as the people of Jammu and Kashmir are happy, who witnessed golden period under Azad’s rule in J&K,” Saroori said.

Pertinently, Congress on Sunday announced 10 candidates for the June 10 RS polls. Nonetheless, G-23 leaders including Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma, who were speculated to be in the list could not make the cut—(KNO)