J-K Assembly polls 2024: NC releases first list of 18 candidates after seat-sharing deal with Congress

The National Conference (NC) on Monday released its first list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. In its first list, the Farooq Abdullah-led party announced the list of 18 candidates, out of 51 seats it is contesting on. This comes hours after the NC reached a seat-sharing agreement with the Congress party for the upcoming polls in the Union Territory. Notably, the first list does not include the name of party president Farooq Abdullah. 

According to the agreement, the National Conference will contest 51 of the 90 Assembly seats, while Congress will field



candidates in 32 constituencies. The two parties have also agreed to a friendly contest on 5 seats, where they will not oppose each other. Meanwhile, Harsh Dev Singh-led Panthers Party and CPI (M) will field their candidates on one seat each. 

The party named its former MP from Anantnag, Justice (Retd) Hassnain Masoodi, as its candidate from Pampore and former legislator Mohammad Khalil Bandh from Pulwama. The NC also announced the names of Ghulam Mohi-Ud-Din Mir from Rajpora, Showkat Hussain Ganie from Zainpora, Sheikh Mohammad Rafi from Shopian and former minister Sakina Ittoo from DH Pora among others.