Jammu, March 21 (IANS) Despite his initial reluctance, Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad will fight for the Udhampur Lok Sabha seat in Jammu and Kashmir and no one is happier over the decision than Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Top sources told IANS that Congress president Sonia Gandhi had called Azad and discussed his nomination before the party announced its fourth list of Lok Sabha candidates Thursday.
Insiders told IANS that Azad's reluctance to contest from his home Lok Sabha constituency was primarily because he is aware of the polarization in the Jammu region after the communal riots in Kishtwar town last year.
Abdullah had earlier this week expressed concern over the delay in announcement of candidates for the three Lok Sabha seats the Congress is fighting in the Jammu region in alliance with the National Conference.
After Azad's name was announced, Abdullah looked a most relieved man. He said the decision to field Azad for Udhampur Lok Sabha seat is a shot in the arm for the state's ruling alliance.
He wrote on Twitter: "Excellent decision, just what we needed. Very pleased that the Congress has fielded Azad from Udhampur LS seat. Just what was needed to give the alliance shot in the arm in Jammu."
Azad belongs to Bhelessa village in Kishtwar district of the Jammu region.
Born in 1949, Azad started his political career from this village as the Block Congress president in the erstwhile Doda district from which the present Kishtwar district was carved out.
Azad's major challenger in Udhampur is Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Jitender Singh.
Abdullah has said there is no Modi wave in the Jammu region and the Congress-National Conference alliance would win all the six Lok Sabha seats in the state.
But polarization on religious lines has been clearly visible in the region after Modi's maiden rally in Jammu last year.
Still, among all the Congress candidates fielded in the state, which include Madan Lal Sharma from Jammu and Tsering Samphel from Ladakh, Azad has the strongest political influence especially in the Chenab Valley districts of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban.
During his tenure as the state chief minister and also as the union health minister, Azad is seen to have done developmental work in the inaccessible hilly Chenab Valley region.
ROJGAR MELA: PM Modi addressed the employment fair in Maharashtra through video conferencing, congratulated the youth
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the employment fair organized in Maharashtra through video conferencing. He said that today the name of Maharashtra is being added to the campaign of
The number of wildlife is decreasing rapidly in the world including in India
The number of wildlife is decreasing rapidly all over the world. In WWF's Living Planet Report (LPR) 2022, the number of wildlife observed has declined by an average of 69 percent.
Delhi Pollution: Gopal Rai's appeal to work from home, said - refrain from traveling in private vehicles
The level of pollution in the country's capital Delhi is continuously increasing. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday said the people of Delhi are responsible for the national capital's
CM Yogi bluntly, new film city to be made in UP, no one is snatching investment
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday met entrepreneurs and filmmakers, especially related to the Defense Corridor and UP Film City construction, during his visit to Mumbai.
E-Commerce Platform: E-commerce's key role in increasing the profit of MSMEs
E-commerce platforms have helped the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) industry to increase profits, reduce marketing expenses, and access new markets. Union Minister of State Bhanupratap
Woman CRPF constable commits suicide in Delhi
New Delhi, Jan 22 (IANS) A 23-year-old woman CRPF constable committed suicide by hanging herself from the grill of a bathroom in a women's hostel here Thursday.Laxmi, a resident of Rajasthan, was
You can beat Corona even at home, Know from experts what to do or not during self-isolation
Tips to treat COVID Patients at home: The havoc of the coronavirus is once again making people a victim. The special thing is that this time corona infected people are either showing mild symptoms or
'Sorcar, Mandal cautioned against further model code violation'
Kolkata, April 2 (IANS) The EC Wednesday warned BJP candidate and magician P.C. Sorcar Junior and TMC leader Anubrata Mandal against further violations of the model code of conduct.The caution is
Delhi Murder Case: On the third day of marriage, the truth of the murder of the girlfriend was told to the wife, who said- 'You go to your home
Nikki Yadav Murder Case: When there was no contact with daughter Nikki for two days, father Sunil went out in search of her. He also reached the house of the accused Sahil. When pressure was made on
Coronavirus Updates: Corona cases decreased for the third consecutive day in the country, with about 1 thousand cases registered in 24 hours
Corona cases are continuously decreasing in the country. The Health Ministry said that 1,046 cases of corona infection have been reported in the last 24 hours. At the same time, four people also died
