Ghulam Nabi Azad decides not to contest LS elections, withdraws name from Anantnag-Rajouri seat

Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) president Ghulam Nabi Azad has decided not to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, his party said. He has withdrawn his candidature from Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat in Jammu and Kashmir, they added. Following Azad's withdrawal, Mohammad Saleem Paray could be the party's candidate from the Anantnag-Rajouri seat, sources added. 

Speaking to reporters, DPAP's provincial president of Kashmir, Mohammad Amin Bhat confirmed the development. Azad will not contest the Lok Sabha elections. A meeting took place with Azad and it was decided that advocate Saleem Parray will be the DPAP candidate for the Anantnag-Rajouri seat," he added. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti



and National Conference senior leader Mian Altaf are contesting from the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat.

Azad's U-turn comes days after he said he is contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha polls to carry on his fight for the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir and for the protection of land and job rights of its residents. The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir had said that while he had several reasons for contesting the Lok Sabha elections, safeguarding the jobs and land of the people of Jammu and Kashmir was his top priority.

It should be noted here that Azad had left the Congress in 2022, ending his five-decade-long association with the party, and floated the DPAP.