Denial of Cong ticket leads to clashes
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 6
Supporters of two rival candidates - Congress candidate Thakur Puran Singh and aspirant for the Congress ticket from Darhal Iqbal Malik (who did not get the same) clashed outside the office of the returning officer for the Darhal Assembly segment, near Children Park, in Rajouri town on the last date of filing nomination papers.

The supporters first exchanged fists and blows and, later, resorted to stone pelting even as the district administration had failed to put in place proper security outside the returning officer’s office. The police had to resort to mild cane charge and fire 2-3 gunshots in air to disperse the fighting rival supporters. Sources in the district hospital said eight supporters sustained injuries in the clashes.

Meanwhile, in what looks to be a huge jolt to the Congress and the National Conference ahead of the elections to the Rajouri Assembly segment to be held on November 23, two of the senior leaders from the parties and Gujjar leaders Choudhary Qamar Hussian and Choudhary Talib Hussain resigned from the memberships of the parties and filed their nominations as independent candidates yesterday.

Choudhary Qamar is a senior Congress leader-turned rebel and had contested from this Assembly segment in the last election as a Congress candidate, Choudhary Talib Hussain is a Senior NC leader-turned rebel and former MP from the Jammu-Poonch parliamentary constituency. Both these leaders enjoy good support among the voters here, and are likely to change the equations here.

Senior PDP leader and one of its founder member Muhammad Sharief Tariq resigned from the party and has filed nomination as independent candidate.

The Congress and the NC have fielded Shabir Khan and Muhammad Aslam Khan, respectively, whereas the PDP has fielded Gujjar leader Tassaduq from this constituency.