J-K Assembly polls: Congress releases Phase 2 list, fields Tariq Hameed Karra from Central Shalteng in Srinagar

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Polls: The Congress party released the list of candidates for Phase 2 of the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections on Monday following a crucial meeting of its Central Election Committee. The latest list includes key candidates, including Tariq Hameed Karra from Central Shalteng, who was appointed Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief in August.

The meeting, held at the AICC headquarters in Delhi, was attended by prominent figures, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, and general secretary KC Venugopal, among others.

Other notable names in the Congress list for Phase 2 of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections are Mumtaz Khan from Reasi, Bhupender Jamwal from Mata Vaishno Devi, Iftikhar Ahmed from Rajouri (ST), Shabbir Ahmed Khan from Thannamandi (ST), and Mohammad Shahnawaz Choudhary from Surankote (ST). These candidates will contest in the second phase of the three-phase elections.

The Congress party is contesting the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections in alliance with the National Conference and has announced 15 candidates so far.

The National Conference and Congress have agreed on a seat-sharing arrangement, with the National Conference set to contest 51 seats and the Congress 32 seats.

Additionally, the CPI(M) and the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) have each been allocated one seat.

Last week, the Congress issued its first list of nine candidates for the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, fielding party general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir from Dooru and former JKPCC chief Vikar Rasool Wani from Banihal.

The party also fielded Surinder Singh Channi from the Tral seat, Amanullah Mantoo from Devsar, Peerzada Mohammad Syed from Anantnag, Shaikh Zafarullah from Inderwal, Nadeem Sharief from Bhadarwah, Sheikh Riyaz from Doda and Pradeep Kumar Bhagat from Doda West.

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections will be held in three phases – September 18, September 25, and October 1—with votes being counted on October 8.