Jammu & Kashmir elections: National Conference releases first list of 18 candidates

National Conference on Monday released the first list of 18 candidates for Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections.

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

The list came hours after National Conference (NC) finalised its seat-sharing arrangement with Congress party.

Justice (Retd) Hassnain Masoodi, party's former MP from Anantnag, has been named as its candidate from Pampore. Whereas, former legislator Mohammad Khalil Bandh has been fielded from Pulwama.

The party has named Abdul Majeed Larmi from Anantnag West and Khalid Najeeb Soharwardy from Doda.

It also named Peerzada Feroze Ahmad from Devsa, Chowdary Zaffer Ahmad from Larnoo, Bashir Ahmad Veeri from Bijbehara, Reyaz Ahmad Khan from Anantnag East and Altaf Ahmad Kaloo from Pahalgam.

The NC also 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.

The NC named Mehboob Iqbal as candidate from Bhaderwah.

Of the 90 seats, the National Conference will contest 51 seats and Congress will field contestants on 32 seats respectively.

One seat each has been allotted to the CPI(M) and the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP).

Whereas, five seats will see "friendly contest".

The assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases.

The first phase will take place on September 18, second on September 25 and the third on October 1. Counting of votes will be undertaken on October 4.

On Sunday NC vice president Omar Abdullah asked the Mehbooba Mufti-led party to not field candidates against NC-Congress nominees for the betterment of Jammu and Kashmir as their agenda is the same.

Abdullah also claimed the PDP has copied his party's manifesto.

"We have not left out anything in the manifesto. Today, everyone has copied our manifesto. They should have kept some differences," Abdullah said, referring to the PDP's manifesto.