Srinagar: A 5-year-old child was killed in a leopard attack near the Awantipora canal in the Wopzen area Bijbehara belt in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Monday.
An official told KNO that the deceased has been identified as Abdul Razak Bajad, son of Mohammad Iqbal of Reasi.
The official said the deceased sustained severe injuries in the attack and died on the spot. (KNO)
Srinagar: President of the Pradesh Congress Committee, Tariq Hamid Karra, on Monday said that the National Conference’s (NC) ‘backtracking’ on its commitment to the Congress leadership regarding the Rajya Sabha polls suggests it may be reconsidering its relationship with the INDIA bloc.
Speaking to reporters, as per KNO, Karra said the NC leadership had assured Congress of allocating a safe seat. “We were given an understanding that we would be allocated a safe seat-the first or second. When NC remained adamant about offering us the fourth seat, which was considered unsafe, we convened a core committee meeting. It was unanimously decided that we should not contest an election we are likely to lose. The committee also expressed resentment over the backtracking of commitments made at the level of Sonia Ji and Kharge Ji,” he said.
He added that the NC leadership conveyed that anything beyond fourth seat was non-negotiable.
“When Mir Sahab and I sent a joint letter to Omar Sahab, he directed us to speak with Farooq Sahib. Farooq Sahib’s response was self-explanatory-he told us they were only willing to discuss the fourth seat,” Karra said.
When asked whether NC had betrayed Congress, Karra responded, “I wouldn’t use the word betrayal. But our trust has been broken.”
He further said that NC’s actions indicate it may be reconsidering its relationship with the INDIA bloc.
“It is not that the understanding with NC in J&K has been unfulfilled. But it also suggests that NC may be evaluating whether to remain in the INDIA bloc,” he said.
On Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma’s remark that Congress is a puppet of NC in Jammu & Kashmir, Karra declined to comment.
“I would not react to irresponsible statements made by BJP,” he said. (KNO)
Srinagar: Four candidates from the National Conference (NC) on Monday submitted their nomination papers for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for October 24.
According to KNO, Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan (former minister), Sajad Kichloo (former Minister of State), and Shammi Oberoi (NC Treasurer) submitted their nomination papers earlier in the day.
Imran Nabi Dar was the last to file his nomination. “I have filed my nomination papers,” Dar said.
Earlier in the day, KNO had exclusively reported that Dar would file his nomination after the Congress declined to contest the fourth seat. (KNO)
Srinagar: National Conference (NC) on Monday said with the help of “secular” legislators, it will secure even the fourth seat in Rajya Sabha elections.
Speaking with reporters, NC spokesperson, Tanvir Sadiq, as per KNO, the decision who would contest the the fourth seat would be taken shortly.
When asked about Congress’s stance, he said that it is unfortunate as they believe they can secure the fourth seat as well with the help of “secular” legislators.
Notably, three NC candidates submitted their nomination papers at the Assembly complex here today for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls. (KNO)
Srinagar: Srinagar Police today conducted search operations at multiple locations linked to individuals allegedly associated with the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) and Hurriyat Conference.
In a statement, issued to KNO, a spokesperson said that searches were carried out at the residences of Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat of Batamaloo, Ashraf Sehrai of Baghat, Mehrajuddin Kalwal of Hamza Colony, Kanihama and Zameer Ahmad Sheikh of Gulshan Nagar, Nowgam.
The statement reads that searches were conducted strictly in accordance with legal procedures. “During searches, various materials including literature and photographs allegedly linked to banned separatist outfits were seized,” it reads.
It added that these actions are part of a broader campaign aimed at dismantling the terror and separatist ecosystem in the Valley by targeting its support structures and networks. (KNO)
Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party cannot even win a single Rajya Sabha seat without horse trading and that these elections will show who stands with the saffron party and who opposes it.
Speaking with reporters, the Chief Minister, as per KNO, said that the BJP falls short of two legislators as they need almost 30 to win the fourth seat, but they have only 28. “There is not a single MLA other than 28 who have supported them in the last one year,” he said.
He added that if the BJP claims to win four seats then it is money power, muscle power and the power of the agencies. “If they are really going to win by using muscle and money power then they will prove that whatever the people in Bihar claim is a fact”.
He said that as numbers go, BJP is not in a position to win even a single seat. “These Rajya Sabha elections will show us who are the supporters and opponents of BJP. Anyone who abstains is a friend of BJP and anyone who votes for the BJP is their friend,” he said. (KNO)
Srinagar: Senior Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir on Monday claimed that the National Conference leadership had assured the Congress leadership that it would be offered a ‘safe’ seat.
Speaking to reporters, as per KNO, Mir said the assurance was given at Congress at the highest level in New Delhi. “The Congress intended to contest one seat, but it had to be a safe one. We wanted to be allocated either the first, second, or third seat. It was conveyed at the highest level that Congress should nominate a candidate and apply for a safe seat. However, when it came time to finalize the modalities, there was no communication. Later, we were informed that Congress should field its candidate for the fourth seat,” he said.
He said that National Conference didn’t take their alliance partner and like-minded parties and individuals like Peoples Democratic Party and Sajad Gani Lone and other MLAs in confidence over Rajya Sabha polls.
“We believe that not a single member from 60 non- BJP members in J&K assembly would have supported BJP. There was a need to take them in confidence before finalising candidates. But that didn’t happen,” he said.
He said that it was responsibility of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to take everyone confidence.
He, however, said nobody among 60 non-BJP members would vote for the saffron party.
Mir said there was also lack of consultation during the formation of the Council of Ministers. “The Congress decided against joining the government until there are broader discussions. The coalition was not formed merely for ministerial positions, but to address the pressing issues of the people through meaningful deliberations,” he said.
He said there has been no coordination or deliberations between the alliance partners over the past one year. (KNO)
Srinagar: Last-ditch efforts to bring alliance partners-the National Conference (NC) and Congress-together for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls have failed due to disagreements over voting preference of independent MLAs, who are not required to disclose their votes to authorized polling agents during the election.
Sources told KNO that discussions between the two parties continued till late night, following Congress’s public refusal on Sunday evening to contest the riskier seat offered by the NC.
According to sources familiar with the negotiations, Congress had expressed willingness to contest the fourth seat on the condition that five NC MLAs would vote for its candidate, instead of relying on five independents currently supporting the ruling alliance.
“We made it clear to the NC command that we cannot afford to depend on independents to vote for our candidate. We requested that they spare five of their MLAs for us and, in return, ask the independents to vote for the NC candidate contesting under the third notification, which involves a combined election,” a senior Congress leader told KNO.
However, the proposal was reportedly not accepted by the NC leadership.
“They [the independents] are not bound to show their marked ballots to anyone. If they do, their votes are liable to be cancelled. In contrast, NC MLAs, being part of a political party, are required to show their marked ballots to authorized polling agents,” the Congress leader added.
Of the 53 MLAs supporting the ruling alliance, five are independents: Satish Sharma (Minister, Chamb segment), Pyare Lal (Inderwal), Dr. Rameshwar Singh (Bani), Muzaffar Khan (Rajouri), and Choudhary Akram (Surankote).
As per election rules, independent MLAs are not required to display their marked ballots, unlike party-affiliated MLAs who must show their votes to authorized agents.
The conditions of voting for independents raised concerns within Congress about the possibility of cross-voting. “How can we rely on independents when we are not in power and are merely offering outside support?” a Congress leader questioned.
They also disclosed that NC leadership had told Congress leadership that they should also seek support of the Peoples Democratic Party, which has three MLAs in the House. (KNO)
Srinagar: National Conference senior leader and MLA Eidgah, Mubarak Gul on Monday exuded confidence that all the party candidates will emerge victorious in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.
Speaking with reporters, Mubarak Gul, as per KNO said that the strategy of the party can’t be revealed before media.
“Our three candidates have filed nomination papers, still there is time till 3 pm and the decision on the fourth seat for Rajya Sabha will be taken accordingly,” he said while replying to a query over deadlock with the alliance partner Congress over seat-sharing.
Ge said that the papers of all the three candidates have been accepted and the scrutiny process is set to take place tomorrow. “We expect all our candidates will emerge victorious,” he said. (KNO)
Srinagar: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Monday said the Bharatiya Janata Party believes that its all three candidates will win the Rajya Sabha polls in Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking with reporters, Jitendra Singh, as per KNO, said that the BJP believes in democracy and follows democratic means. “There is no question of cross voting and other related things. Our candidates will emerge victorious in the Rajya Sabha election,” he said.
He also that the party MLAs listen to the voice of their conscience, it will repeatedly tell them that Jammu and Kashmir’s future is safe in the hands of PM Modi.
The Union Minister along with other leaders was accompanying BJP candidates to Assembly complex to submit their nomination papers for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. (KNO)
