Kupwara: Peoples Conference president Sajad Gani Lone on Saturday said the party’s parliamentary board will decide on its candidate for the North Kashmir Lok Sabha segment.

Talking to reporters on sidelines of a function, Lone said that the party’s parliamentary board headed by Nizamuddin Bhat will finalise candidate for Baramulla-Kupwara Lok Sabha seat.

“The party’s parliamentary board will sit and decide on the matter,” he said.

On being asked whether he was himself mulling to contest Lok Sabha polls, Lone evaded a direct answer.“ I will not decide on the matter. It will be decided by the parliamentary board,” he said.

The North Kashmir Lok Sabha seat is likely to witness a direct contest between National Conference and Peoples Conference. Both the parties have significant influence in the Lok Sabha seat spread over 18 Assembly constituencies.

While Apni Party has influence in few pockets like Tangmarg, Rafiabad, Bandipora, PDP, which had won the seat in 2014, was relegated to 4th position in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

In the Lok Sabha seat, independents like Syed Basharat Bukhari, Nazir Ahmad Khan, Irfan Hafiz Lone and Abdul Haq Khan have also influence in their own assembly seats—

Reader correspondent