Sajad Gani Lone, a candidate from the J&K People’s Conference (JKPC) contesting from the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, on Tuesday received a shot in the arm after Altaf Bukhari’s J&K Apni Party (JKAP) extended its support in north Kashmir.
“I am pleased to announce that we will be supporting Mr. Lone in north Kashmir, “ JKAP chairman said.
The Baramulla Lok Sabha seat will go to polls on May 20 this year. National Conference’s Omar Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Fayyaz Mir are already in the fray. The NC won the seat in the 2019 election and had bagged 1.33 lakh votes against JKPC’s 1.03 lakh votes.
With Mr. Bukhari’s support, Mr. Lone, whose party stood second in the 2019 Parliament election, has managed to win the support of a sizable voters from north Kashmir. The JKAP has a strong presence among voters in north Kashmir because of leaders like Ghulam Hassan Mir, Dilawar Mir and Usman Majeed, who have won several Assembly elections in the past.
“The positive response has been very warming. I express my sincere gratitude to Mr. Bukhari and leaders of the JKAP for extending support to our party in the Baramulla Parliamentary constituency, in response to our request for support,” Mr. Lone said.
The JKAP has fielded candidates from central Kashmir’s Srinagar seat and south Kashmir’s Anantnag-Rajouri constituency. However, JKPC is contesting only from north Kashmir.
