Azad to contest from Udhampur: Soz

Ghulam Nabi Azad is likely to contest from Udhampur Lok Sabha seat, Jammu-Kashmir Congress Chief Saif-ud-Din Soz, said here today.
"As per my understanding, Azad will contest from Udhampur-Kathua Lok Sabha seat. It is expected that announcement would be made at any time today", Soz told reporters here.
"There was delay for all the seats- Jammu, Udhampur and Ladakh. We have not announced any candidate. It may be announced any time today. I feel sure as President PCC that Azad will contest from Udhampur and Madan Lal Sharma will contest from Jammu", he said.
Soz was replying to questions about delay in announcement of candidates for Lok Sabha constituencies in J-K particularly with regard to the candidature of Azad.

Replying to another question about Azad's reluctant to contest elections from his native LS constituency of Udhampur-Kathua, JKPCC chief said "this is neither a situation of pressurising Azad nor a situation that he is asking for it".
"It was for the first time in Surankote (Poonch district) where he (Azad) said that he was responding to the request (to contest elections from Udhampur LS seat) from his workers. It was enough for me to take a decision as PCC president and we have moved in this direction", Soz said.
"Azad is a senior leader and in his own right, he will fight from his own constituency. We feel comfortable with him. One way or other, he is a popular candidate. He is a winning proposition. He must be our candidate", he added.