Omar Abdullah dares BJP to field own candidates in Kashmir | Lok Sabha polls

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah will contest elections from the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency, the National Conference announced on Friday.

After the abrogation of Article 370, Omar Abdullah, the NC vice president, had announced he would not contest assembly elections unless J&K's statehood was restored.

At a press conference in Srinagar, Abdullah challenged the BJP to field its own candidates in Kashmir.

“For all the talk of (Article) 370, development, normalcy, why not field a BJP candidate in the election, instead of proxies?” he asked.

He said it was clear who held the reins behind Apni Party and People’s Conference.

The NC leader suggested that BJP candidates would lose their deposits if they contested in the Valley.

“Our contest is not against any individual or candidate. Our fight is against the forces standing with those candidates. Our fight is against the BJP and the central government,” he added.

The National Conference has fielded influential Shia leader Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi from central Kashmir's Srinagar constituency.

The party had already named senior Gujjar leader Mian Altaf from Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat.

The NC, which is a part of the opposition's INDIA-bloc, is contesting on three seats in Kashmir valley, while it has left two seats in Jammu and one seat in Ladakh to its ally Congress.

Srinagar goes to polls on May 13 while voting in Baramulla will be held on May 20.

(With inputs from PTI)