JAMMU — The National Conference (NC) has fielded its District Development Council (DDC) member Shamim Begum from the Nagrota assembly constituency, which goes to bypolls next month, after the Congress decided not to contest from there to pursue its ‘larger goal’ of defeating the BJP, despite being offered the seat by its ally.
Both coalition partners had contested last year’s assembly elections together, but the alliance has been under strain since the NC refused to cede a safe seat to the Congress for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, scheduled for October 24.
Bypolls for the Nagrota and Budgam assembly segments are slated for November 11.
The Nagrota by-election was necessitated by the death of BJP legislator Devender Singh Rana on October 31 last year, while the Budgam seat fell vacant after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah retained Ganderbal, his family’s bastion, after winning both seats.
“The party leadership has given mandate to DDC member Shamim Begum from the Nagrota constituency after the Congress decided not to contest from there. She will file her nomination papers within the next couple of hours,” NC provincial president Rattan Lal Gupta said.
Begum, who won from Nagrota’s Dansal block in the December 2020 DDC elections, thanked the party leadership for reposing faith in her and giving her the mandate to fight the by-election from her home constituency.
“The people know me very well. They have seen my work as a DDC member over the last four years, and I am confident they will support me wholeheartedly to represent them in the assembly,” she said.
Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said the Congress had decided to leave the Nagrota seat to its ally NC, keeping in view the larger interests and goals of defeating the BJP. — (PTI)