J&K: NC's Omar Abdullah to contest from Baramulla seat in Lok Sabha polls; Ruhullah Mehdi fielded from Srinagar

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah has been declared as the National Conference's candidate for the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency in north Kashmir, as per an announcement made by the party President Farooq Abdullah on Friday.

Additionally, Shia leader Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi is set to contest from Srinagar, a traditional NC stronghold in central Kashmir.

The polling in Baramulla is scheduled for May 20.


"This time, our fight is not against any individual. In North Kashmir, my fight is not against any candidate, my fight is with those powers which are behind that candidate. It has been decided that I will be contesting from North Kashmir because BJP is focusing a lot on North Kashmir. I want that these powers should be defeated in North Kashmir. Aga Ruhullah will contest from Central Kashmir," Omar Abdullah said in a press conference.

Speaking on state elections in Jammu and Kashmir, he said that it would have been a favour for them PM Modi had conducted elections before the verdict of Supreme Court.

"It is the verdict of the Supreme Court. It would have been a favour for us if he (PM Modi) had conducted elections before the verdict of SC. It is now a compulsion for him. It is the Supreme Court's verdict to conduct elections in J&K before 30th September...As far as statehood is concerned, he could not explain to us till now why was Article 370 removed," he said.

The Congress' and NC's seat sharing formula consists of both contesting from three seats each, that is, the Congress would contest Udhampur, Jammu and Ladakh Lok Sabha seats while the National Conference would field candidates in Anantnag, Srinagar and Baramulla.

Notably, the Congress has named Lal Singh as its candidate from Udhampur to take on Union Minister Jitendra Singh.