India
Brother of Afzal Guru files nomination to contest J&K state assembly elections | India News – Times of India
NEW DELHI: Ajaz Gurubrother of MP Afzal Guru, has filed his nomination to contest the upcoming Elections for the state of Jammu and Kashmir as a Independent candidate.
He will fight from Sopore in the northern district of Kashmir.
Ajaz Guru, who lives in Delina area of Baramulla, filed nomination on the last day of filing documents.
After filing his papers, Ajaz Guru told reporters that he was joining the election fray because he, like all Kashmiris, was a victim of “35 years of hardship”, news agency PTI reported.
The nomination papers will be verified on Friday and the last date for withdrawal of the papers is September 17. Sopore will go to polls on October 1 for the third phase of the elections.
Aijaz told reporters on Tuesday that his son’s arrest was a major reason for him to join the fight.
His son, Shoaib Ajaz Guru, was arrested by the Baramulla police in December 2023 on suspicion of drug trafficking under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (PIT-NDPS Act). He is now lodged in Kot-Bhalwal Jail in Jammu.
Ajaz, who works as a contractor, claimed the case against his son was “fabricated” and vowed to fight for those arrested under dubious circumstances.
He alleged that Sopore had been “neglected by previous leaders” and said he was committed to addressing long-standing local issues such as employment, infrastructure development and youth rehabilitation. Aijaz said he would file his nomination papers on Thursday.
He, however, clarified that he would not invoke his brother Afzal Guru’s name in his campaign. “I will not seek votes in the name of my brother. My ideology is totally different and I believe that the people of Kashmir, especially Sopore, have been betrayed by political leaders“, he said.
Elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 8. These are the first elections in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.
He will fight from Sopore in the northern district of Kashmir.
Ajaz Guru, who lives in Delina area of Baramulla, filed nomination on the last day of filing documents.
After filing his papers, Ajaz Guru told reporters that he was joining the election fray because he, like all Kashmiris, was a victim of “35 years of hardship”, news agency PTI reported.
The nomination papers will be verified on Friday and the last date for withdrawal of the papers is September 17. Sopore will go to polls on October 1 for the third phase of the elections.
Aijaz told reporters on Tuesday that his son’s arrest was a major reason for him to join the fight.
His son, Shoaib Ajaz Guru, was arrested by the Baramulla police in December 2023 on suspicion of drug trafficking under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (PIT-NDPS Act). He is now lodged in Kot-Bhalwal Jail in Jammu.
Ajaz, who works as a contractor, claimed the case against his son was “fabricated” and vowed to fight for those arrested under dubious circumstances.
He alleged that Sopore had been “neglected by previous leaders” and said he was committed to addressing long-standing local issues such as employment, infrastructure development and youth rehabilitation. Aijaz said he would file his nomination papers on Thursday.
He, however, clarified that he would not invoke his brother Afzal Guru’s name in his campaign. “I will not seek votes in the name of my brother. My ideology is totally different and I believe that the people of Kashmir, especially Sopore, have been betrayed by political leaders“, he said.
Elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 8. These are the first elections in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.
