Leading political families in JK poll fray

Jammu, Nov 26 (PTI) The electoral battle in the northern
Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a huge
participation of leading Kashmiri political families who don't
want to miss a chance to try their luck at the hustings.

In the battlefield are members of Sheikh dynasty followed
by Muftis, Azads and Baighs.

Former chief minister Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah's four
family members are in the fray in the Kashmir valley.

Sheikh Abdullah's sons -- former Chief Minister Farooq
Abdullah and former minister Mustafa Kamal -- are seeking
mandate on National Conference (NC) tickets from Hazratbal and
Baramulla constituencies in the valley.

They are followed by Sheikh's daughter and wife of former
chief minister G M Shah, Khalida, who is contesting from
Hazratbal against her brother as Awami National Conference
(ANC) candidate, Farooq's son and NC chief Omar Abdullah is
contesting from the Ganderbal seat.

Farooq, who relinquished Ganderbal seat for his son, had
won it in 1983, 1987 and 1996. However, Omar lost to Qazi
Afzal of People's Democratic Party (PDP) in 2002 in his first
attempt to enter the state assembly.

Farooq, after having declared retirement in 2002, has
jumped back into the electoral fray again and is contesting
from new Hazratbal constituency.

Mustafa Kamal, who won Gulmarg seat in Baramulla district
in 1987 and 1996, has this time shifted to Baramulla.

In south Kashmir's political family of Muftis, PDP chief
and daughter of former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed
Mehbooba Mufti is fighting from Wachi segment of Shopian
district.

Mehbooba, who won Bijbehra and Pahalgam seats in 1996 and
2002, has also won Lok Sabha elections and is an MP from
the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat.

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who has won from Bijbehra and
Pahalgam seat in 1967 and 2004 bi-polls respectively, is eying
the Anantnag assembly segment.

"NC, PDP, Congress, ANC, BJP have virtually put up
several children of party leaders and families in the polls in
Jammu and Kashmir," a senior political analyst, Dr H N Dhar
said.

Former deputy chief minister Mohammad Afzal Baigh's son
Mehboob Baigh is in the fray on an NC ticket from Anantnag. He
won this seat in 1983 and 2002.

The famous Rajput couple -- Congress MP Lal Singh and his
wife Kanta Andhotra are seeking re-election from Kathua and
Basholi assembly segments respectively in Kathua district on
Congress tickets.

Lal won Basholi seat in 1996 and 2002.

In Congress, former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, his
cousin brother and former minister Sharief Naiz, brother Tariq
Azad are also fully engrossed in the poll battle.

Congress has fielded Sham Lal Sharma, brother of MP Madan
Lal Sharma from Akhnoor (Jammu), Dr Ramesh Chander, son of
six-time MLA Beli Ram from Nowshera, Abdul Gani Kohli --
son-in-law of veteran Gujjar leader Mian Bashir from Kalakote,
among others.

Among the Independents in the fray include Zulfikar Ali
son of five-time MLA Mohammd Hussain, Raman Mattoo son-in-law
of former minister P L Handoo and Dr Mumtaz Bukhari, cousin of
NC candidate and former minister Mustaq Bukhari. PTI AB
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