SRINAGAR: In a latest political development, senior politician Nizamuddin Bhat has officially joined the Congress party in Srinagar today, amidst mounting speculation about his candidacy for the Bandipora Assembly constituency.
Bhat’s induction into the Congress party as per Kashmir Dot Com was announced in the presence of senior Congress leaders, signalling his endorsement as the party’s candidate for the 15-Bandipora seat.
This move comes with only one days left for filing nominations. The Congress party had been notably silent on its Bandipora candidate, raising speculation and uncertainty. Despite releasing a list of 19 candidates on Monday, the Bandipora seat was absent, further fueling rumors about Bhat’s potential role.
Sources indicate that Bhat had been in frequent discussions with the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) leadership and met with JKPCC Chief Tariq Karra before Karra’s recent trip to Delhi for finalizing the candidate list. His formal entry into Congress and the endorsement as the candidate appears to be a strategic decision, considering the lack of strong contenders and recent controversies surrounding the local JKNC unit.
