Srinagar, March 25 : National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Monday said that he was confident of winning as he filed nomination papers from the prestigious Lok Sabha seat which is going to polls in the second phase of the polls on April 18.
“As far as confidence is concerned, we are all confident. We will all win against the fascist forces that are emerging in the country,” Farooq told reporters after emerging out from Deputy Commissioner Srinagar who is returning officer for the election. “We are all standing together to fight the evil that is in India and there is no difference as far as that is concerned,” Farooq who is seeking re-election from Srinagar.
There was no pomp and show as only a few vehicles of the National Conference leaders were allowed inside the deputy commissioner’s office complex in Tankipora area here.
Prior to the filing of the nomination papers, Farooq Abdullah paid obeisance at the revered shrine of ‘Makhdoom Sahib’ here.
His son and NC vice-president Omar Abdullah and other party leaders including Abdul Rahim Rather, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Justice (Retd) Hasnain Massodi and Nasir Sogam accompanied him to the office of Returning Officer.
The police placed barricades in the entire area as part of security arrangements to prevent any untoward incident and did not allow any supporters at the venue.
The returning officer Srinagar had earlier issued guidelines, saying the maximum number of people allowed at the time of filing of nomination by a candidate would be five, including the candidate, whereas the maximum number of vehicles allowed would be three.
The Srinagar Lok Sabha seat is spread over three districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal. It has 12,90,318 voters who will cast their votes at 1,716 polling stations set up in the constituency.
The last date for filing nomination papers for the second phase is March 26 and the scrutiny of the papers will be conducted on March 27. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is March 29 and the polling will be held on April 18, from 7 am to 6 pm.
Meanwhile, Khalid Jahangir, BJP’s candidate also filed nomination papers and he was accompanied by former party state president Sat Sharma among others. “Speak truth, leave falsehood. This is my slogan ” he said.
