Samajwadi Party to Contest J-K Assembly Polls, Supports Congress-NC Alliance

Jammu and Kashmir Samajwadi Party President Jia Lal Verma announced the party's decision to contest the upcoming J-K Assembly elections, supporting the Congress-National Conference alliance. Elections will occur in three phases. A large number of candidates have already filed their nominations for the first phase, with significant youth voter participation expected.

Jammu and Kashmir Samajwadi Party President Jia Lal Verma announced on Wednesday that the party will contest the forthcoming J-K Assembly elections and likely file nominations in the second or third phase. Verma also confirmed the party's support for the Congress and National Conference (NC) alliance in the elections.

The assembly elections are scheduled in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1. According to a seat-sharing agreement, NC will contest 51 out of 90 seats, while Congress will vie for 32. There will also be a 'friendly contest' between the two parties on five seats.

CPI(M) and Panthers Party have been allocated one seat each by the alliance. A total of 279 candidates have filed nominations for 24 Assembly Constituencies across seven districts in the first phase of the J-K Assembly Election 2024, until the nomination deadline on August 27.

A total of 72 nominations were filed in Anantnag district, 55 in Pulwama district, 41 in Doda district, 32 in Kishtwar district, 28 in Shopian district, 28 in Kulgam district, and 23 in Ramban district. In the Jammu division's Kishtwar district, 13 candidates filed for 48-Inderwal AC, 11 for 49-Kishtwar AC, and 8 for 50-Padder-Nagseni AC.

In Doda district's ACs, 16 candidates each for 51-Bhadarwah and 52-Doda ACs, and 9 candidates for 53-Doda West AC filed nominations. In Ramban, 13 candidates for 54-Ramban AC and 10 for 55-Banihal AC filed their papers.

In Kashmir's Pulwama district, 16 nominations for 32-Pampore, 13 for 33-Tral, 14 for 34-Pulwama, and 12 for 35-Rajpora AC were recorded. Shopian saw 15 candidates for 36-Zainapora and 13 for 37-Shopian ACs.

Over 23.27 lakh voters, including 5.66 lakh youths, are eligible to vote in Phase-I of the J-K Assembly Election on September 18, 2024. The electorate comprises 11.76 lakh male, 11.51 lakh female, and 60 third-gender voters. The number of candidates for the 2024 elections shows a 25% increase over the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)