SRINAGAR: Omar Abdullah, National Conference (NC) president, yesterday filed nomination papers from north Kashmir’s Ganderbal constituency where a complete shutdown was observed yesterday.
Omar had lost the seat to People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Qazi Mohammad Afzal during 2002 assembly polls which proved crucial in the formation of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-led PDP Congress coalition government which ruled the state for nearly six years.
The PDP has now again fielded Qazi who held the forest department portfolio in the Congress-PDP coalition government against Omar from Ganderbal.
Scores of NC workers chanting slogans accompanied the NC president to the office of the returning officer even though the town observed a complete shutdown and Omar didn’t receive the expected welcome from the locals. Angry protesters tore down the NC banners put up in the town overnight and clashed with police and paramilitary forces shouting pro-freedom and anti-poll slogans.
“People of Ganderbal were angry with us for the mistakes we made last time, and they punished us for that,” Omar told journalists after filing his nomination papers. “We have learned the lessons and we have come again and hope people will vote for us this time to enable us to serve them and make Ganderbal a model constituency.”
Omar, however, did contest the 2004 parliamentary elections for the prestigious Srinagar constituency which he won and continues to be the MP. Qazi has been in the throes of a controversy involving allotment of land to Sri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) during his tenure as the state forest minister.
