Ahead of the 2024 Assembly polls, the Mehbooba Mufti-led Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party released a list of candidates for eight constituencies, including Jammu, East, Jammu West, Jammu North, Bani, Hiranagar, Basoli, and Billawer, among others. In a notification issued, the party fielded Adv. Aditya Gupta from Jammu East, Darshan Gupta from Jammu West, Vishal Salgotra from Hiranagar, and Romesh Chandar Verma from Bani, among others.
Significantly, today's list comes in addition to two lists released by the party in the past two days, wherein they fielded a total of 21 candidates for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. According to the party's notification, the list includes Mohammad Khursheed Alam from Eidgah, Aga Syed Munatzir Mehdi from Budgam, Sheikh Gowher Ali from Zadibal, Mohammad Iqbal Trumboo from Chanapora, Advocate Haq Nawaz from Nowshera, Manzoor Ahmed Wani from Khan Sahib, Firdous Ahmed Mir from Karnah, Mohammad Rafique Rather from Baramulla, and Irfan Ali Lone from Sopore, among others.
PDP releases manifesto
Meanwhile, it is pertinent to note that last week, the PDP also released its manifesto for the Assembly elections, promising to pursue the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir to its "original status" and advocate for confidence-building measures (CBMs) and regional cooperation between India and Pakistan. The manifesto was released during a function at the party headquarters here by PDP president Mehbooba Mufti along with senior leaders of the party. The manifesto said the "unconstitutional and illegal revocation" of Articles 370 and 35A in 2019 has "further complicated the Kashmir issue, deepening the alienation felt by the people of the region.".
About J-K Assembly polls 2024
The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Polling to elect 90 members of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly will take place in three phases. The elections will be held on September 18, September 25, and October 1. While the results of the polls will be announced on October 4. Significantly, the 2024 polls will be the first elections in the valley since provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution were abrogated and the erstwhile state was divided into two Union Territories in 2019.
