11 candidates in fray for bypolls to Srinagar Lok Sabha seat

As many as 11 candidates, including National Conference stalwart Farooq Abdullah, are in the fray for the bypolls to Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency as the deadline for filing nomination papers ended today.
"We have received nomination papers from 11 candidates for the bypolls to Srinagar constituency where polling will be held on April 9," an election official told PTI here.
Abdullah, whose only electoral loss in his political career so far came in 2014 Lok Sabha polls when he was defeated by then PDP candidate Tariq Hamid Karra, will be facing the ruling party's Nazir Ahmad Khan this time.
The others in the fray include Sajad Reshi of Rashtriya Samajwadi Party, Chetan Sharma of Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, Bikram Singh of J&K Liberal democratic Party, Mirza Sajad Hussain Beigh of Rashtriya Jan Kranti Party and five independents.

Scrutiny of papers will be held tomorrow and the last date of withdrawal of candidature is March 24.
Srinagar Lok Sabha seat was vacated by Karra who had resigned last year in protest against alleged "brutalities" on protesters in the Valley.
Karra has since joined the Congress and is now campaigning for Abdullah.