Rahul Gandhi likely to campaign in J-K on September 4: Sources

New Delhi [India], Aug 31: According to sources, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is likely to visit Jammu and Kashmir for election campaigning on September 4. The leader of Opposition is expected to visit the Dooru Assembly constituency, from where the Congress has fielded Ghulam Ahmed Mir.

Rahul Gandhi is likely to address a public meeting on September 4, sources said.

Congress announced the first list of nine candidates for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections in a document signed by AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal on August 27.

Prominent leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir will contest from Dooru and Vikar Rasool Wani from Banihal. While Peerzada Mohd Syed will contest for the important Anantnag constituency, Sheikh Riaz seeks the Doda seat.

The party has fielded Surinder Singh Channi from the Tral seat, Amanullah Mantoo from Devsar, Shaikh Zafarullah from Inderwal, Nadeem Sharief from Bhadarwah, and Pradeep Kumar Bhagat from Doda West.

Samajwadi Party (SP) has also extended their support to the Congress and National Conference alliance in the J-K polls.

SP president Jia Lal Verma on Wednesday informed that the party will contest the upcoming J-K Assembly polls and is likely to file their nominations in the second or third phase.

Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls are being held in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1.

National Conference (NC) will contest 51 of 90 seats and Congress 32 according to the seat-sharing pact reached by the two parties for the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir. The two parties will also have a contest on five seats. The two parties have left one seat each for CPI(M) and Panthers Party.

There are a total number of 90 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, out of which 7 seats are reserved for SCs and 9 seats are reserved for STs.

According to the Election Commission of India, Jammu and Kashmir has 88.06 lakh eligible electors. These are the first assembly elections to be held in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.