About 14 KPs enter fray from valley; return of displaced their aim

Jammu: So far, 14 Kashmiri Pandits have filed nominations to contest from the valley for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, aiming to ensure the return and rehabilitation of their fellow community members, whose number run up to 3 lakh.

Srinagar’s Habba Kadal Assembly constituency has virtually turned into an electoral battlefield for the displaced Kashmiri Pandits.

A record six KPs out of the 14 have filed their nomination from the Assembly segment, which goes to polls, along with 26 other constituencies in the second phase of elections, on September 25.

“As many as six candidates from the KP community have filed their nomination papers in Habba Kadal. Of them, five have filed under recognised political parties, while two have filed as Independents. A total of 14 candidates have filed their nominations,” an election department official told news agency.

Ashok Kumar Bhat has filed his papers as the BJP candidate, Sanjay Saraf as the Lok Jan Shakti Party candidate, and Santosh Labroo will be contesting election as an All Alliance Democratic Party candidate.

Ashok Raina, Panaji Dembi, and Ashok Sahaib will fight as Independents.

Saraf, who has contested elections from the seat twice in the past, said his aim is to bridge the gap between communities and ensure the return of the community spread across the country, back to the valley.

“If I am elected as an MLA, I will work to ensure the return of KPs to the valley with respect, dignity, and security. This includes carving out places for them here. We should be ambassadors of peace,” Saraf, contesting from his home constituency of Anantnag, told news agency.

The six KPs in fray are banking on the support of the 25,000-strong migrant vote bank in Habba

Kadal, traditionally, a National Conference stronghold.