Jailed Former J&K MLA Engineer Rashid Files Papers For Baramulla Seat

Nomination papers of former J&K legislator Engineer Rashid, presently in Delhi's Tihar Jail, were filed for the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency on Monday.

The nomination papers of Sheikh Abdul Rashid, alias Engineer Rashid, founder of the Awami Itihad Party (AIP) have been filed by the party with Baramulla's Returning Officer Minga Sherpa on completion of all necessary legal and administrative formalities, party spokesman Firdous Baba said.

"We had been waiting for the final approval from the authorities to go ahead with the tendering of papers and much to our respite, we completed the formalities yesterday (Sunday) only," he said.

The party has named Engineer Rashid's elder son Abrar Rashid as the cover candidate.

Engineer Rashid, is currently lodged at Tihar jail in connection with an alleged money laundering case.

With his entry, the electoral battle in the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency has become triangular, as he faces former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of the National Conference and Sajad Gani Lone of the People's Conference. The J&K Apni Party, led by Syed Altaf Bukhari, is supporting Lone in this constituency and not fielding any candidate.