The Democratic Progressive Azad Party, led by former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, released a list of candidates for the first phase of the state's Assembly elections on Sunday.
It has fielded a slate of 13 candidates, including former minister Abdul Majeed Wani, contesting from Doda East assembly constituency, and former MLA Mohd Amin Bhat, who is contesting in Devsar. Other candidates are Mohd Aslam Goni for Bhaderwah, Advocate Saleem Parray for Doru, and Muneer Ahmad Mir for Lolab.
The other candidates are Bilal Ahmad Deva for Anantnag West, Ghulam Nabi Wani for Rajpora, Mir Altaf Hussain for Anantnag, Qaiser Sultan Ganai for Ganderbal, Gulam Nabi Bhat for Eidgah, Amir Ahmad Bhat for Khanyar, Nisar Ahmad Lone for Gurez, and Peer Bilal Ahmad for Hazratbal.
G.M. Saroori, a DPAP candidate, had earlier fought the Lok Sabha election from the Kathua-Udhampur constituency but lost it to Dr. Jitendra Singh of the BJP, who won the seat for the third consecutive term.
The DPAP suffered another jolt when its senior leader, Taj Mohiuddin, recently quit the party and rejoined Congress. Taj had earlier left Congress to join Ghulam Nabi Azad when he formed the DPAP.
The DPAP had backed Mohammad Ashraf Mir of the J&K Apni Party for the Srinagar seat and Sajad Gani Lone of the People's Conference for the Baramulla seat in the Lok Sabha elections. Both the candidates lost their bids to the Valley seats.
But despite Ghulam Nabi Azad's strong influence in areas like Chenab Valley, he has been unable to make any difference among the voter base in the Valley.
