Srinagar, Aug 26 (IANS) The All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) on Monday announced that it will contest three seats in the Kashmir Valley during the upcoming Assembly elections in the Union Territory, as it sought help from the majority community to make its candidates successful.
“We have decided to contest three seats in the Kashmir Valley. We are banking on the support of the majority community for the success of our candidates,” APSCC Chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina said during a media interaction here on Monday.
According to Raina, the APSCC has decided to field S. Pushvinder Singh from Tral in Pulwama district.
"Our candidates for Central Shalteng in Srinagar and Baramulla will be announced later,” the APSCC Chairman said.
Appealing to the members of the majority community to come forward and support the Sikh candidates, Raina said their support will ensure victory for the APSCC nominees.
“It will send a positive message from Kashmir and will change the narrative that Kashmiris pursue separatism and are anti-nationals,” Raina said.
On August 16, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana (October 1). The elections in J&K will be held in three phases -- on September 18, September 25, and October 1 -- and the results will be out on October 4.
Following the ECI's announcement, former J&K Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) President Farooq Abdullah said last week that a pre-poll alliance between the Congress and the NC has been finalised for which paperwork will be completed soon.
He told reporters that an alliance has been made and the parties will issue mandates to their candidates in a phased manner.
His remarks came after the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge called on Farooq Abdullah at his high-security Gupkar Road residence in Srinagar for talks on a pre-poll alliance.
