Altaf Bukhari set to contest from Chanapora assembly constituency

Srinagar, Aug 21: Apni Party’s President Altaf Bukhari is set to contest the upcoming assembly polls from the Chanapora seat, sources said.

According to sources, Bukhari would contest from Chanapora, the newly arranged constituency following delimitation.

The sources said that former Srinagar Municipal Corporation’s mayor and Apni Party leader, Junaid Azim Mattoo would contest from Zadibal while Muhammad Ashraf Mir will fight from Lal Chowk and Shabir Reshi from the Hazratbal seat.

Meanwhile, Apni Party released its first list of candidates for the assembly elections.

A statement of the Apni Party issued here said that the party had announced the names of eight candidates for various assembly segments in south Kashmir.

The nominated candidates include Rafi Ahmad Mir from 47-Pahalgam, Hilal Ahmad Shah from 44-Anantnag, Tariq Shah Veeri from 45-Bijbehara, Abdul Majeed Padder from 38-DH-Pora, Riyaz Ahmad Bhat from 40-Devsar, Gowher Hassan Wani from 36-Zainapora, Mir Altaf from 32-Pampore, and Owais Khan 37-Shopian.

These nominations were recommended by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee (PAC), Muhammad Dilawar Mir and approved by the Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari.

The Apni Party also released its poll manifesto that promises restoration of statehood, dismissal of cases against youth, reclaiming hydropower projects from the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), providing 500 units of free electricity to each household, enforcing the Forest Rights Act, giving minority status to the Sikh community, implementing a strong anti-drug policy, and a variety of other initiatives.

The manifesto was unveiled by the Apni Party General Secretary, Rafi Ahmad Mir, during a news conference at the party headquarters in Srinagar.

Releasing the party’s manifesto, Mir said that the Apni Party was committed to ensuring peace, stability, and prosperity in J&K, as well as the restoration of all its constitutional rights, including statehood.

In its manifesto, the Apni Party promised that if it received a public mandate in the assembly elections, it would restore all the laws amended after August 2019 that had disempowered the people of J&K.

Additionally, the party has pledged to strive for the restoration of statehood to J&K.

The other key promises in the manifesto are the withdrawal of cases against the youth; 500 units of free electricity per month to every household in Kashmir during winter and in Jammu during summer; implementation of the Forest Rights Act 2019 to eliminate harassment and extend benefits to those living near forest areas; facilitation of the return of Kashmiri Pandits; minority status to Sikh community; restoration of the old pension scheme; and a variety of other initiatives.

In the manifesto, the party has outlined its planned initiatives for implementing its economic and developmental agenda.

These initiatives include the recovery of hydropower projects currently managed by NHPC in J&K.

The party has also promised to reserve mining rights for local stakeholders in J&K.

The Apni Party has promised to implement a robust policy to eradicate the drug menace in Kashmir, as well as to promote sports activities and provide sports infrastructure for the youth.