As many as 95 candidates have filed nomination papers for the nine assembly constituencies in Kashmir Valley which are going to polls in the second phase on December 2.
While 54 candidates including two sitting ministers of ruling National Conference (NC) are foraying from five constituencies of Kupwara district in north Kashmir, 41 candidates including a woman minister Sakina Itoo of the NC have filed their papers from four assembly segments of Kulgam district in south.
Itoo is seeking a third term from Noorabad constituency wherefrom 16 other candidates have filed their nominations. They include opposition PDP's Abdul Majeed Padder and Congress' Manzoor Zargar.
Eight candidates each have filed their papers from Kulgam, Homshalibugh and Devsar constituencies of Kulgam district.
Prominent among the candidates include deputy speaker Sartaj Madni (Devsar),state secretary of CPI(M) M Y Tarigami who is seeking a fourth term from Kulgam seat, and sitting PDP MLA Abdul Gaffar Sofi (Homshalibugh).
Separatist turned mainstream politician Sajad Lone will take on NC minister Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan from the Handwara assembly segment in Kupwara district.
There are 10 other candidates in the fray including PDP's Sofi Ghulam Mohiuddin who was accused by Hurriyat Conference of being a proxy candidate fielded by Lone in 2002 assembly elections.
Law minister Mir Saifullah is locked in multiple corner contest as 11 other candidates filed their nominations from Kupwara segment.
Fire-brand independent MLA from Langate Sheikh Abdul Rashid is also facing challenge from 11 others to his bid for a second term in the state assembly.
While 10 candidates, including sitting PDP MLA Abdul Haq Khan, are in fray in Lolab, eight have filed nominations from Karnah constituency. They include NC sitting MLA Kafeel- ur-Rehman.
The scrutiny of the papers would be undertaken on November 15 and the last date of withdrawal of nominations is November 17.
