<p>Srinagar: The National Conference on Monday named veteran leader Mian Altaf Ahmad as the party's candidate for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat in Jammu and Kashmir.</p>.<p>NC vice president Omar Abdullah made the announcement on behalf of party president Farooq Abdullah in the presence of Ahmad, a party spokesperson said.</p>.<p>"Senior National Conference leader and veteran politician Mian Altaf Ahmed has been nominated as the National Conference candidate for the South Kashmir Pir Panjal parliamentary seat," the spokesperson said.</p>.<p>Omar emphasised Ahmad's widespread popularity across various segments of society and expressed confidence that he would garner substantial support from the people.</p>.Former J&K minister PL Handoo's granddaughter joins National Conference.<p>The Anantnag constituency, which spreads across the Pir Panjal range to include Rajouri and Poonch areas after the delimitation, will go to polls on May 7 in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections.</p>.<p>The notification for the third phase will be issued on April 12 and the last date for filing nominations will be April 19.</p>.<p>The National Conference, which is part of the opposition INDIA bloc, will be contesting three Lok Sabha seats in the Kashmir Valley.</p>.<p>The PDP — which is also part of the INDIA alliance — is likely to field its own candidates for two of the three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir but the party has not made a formal announcement so far.</p>
<p>Srinagar: The National Conference on Monday named veteran leader Mian Altaf Ahmad as the party's candidate for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat in Jammu and Kashmir.</p>.<p>NC vice president Omar Abdullah made the announcement on behalf of party president Farooq Abdullah in the presence of Ahmad, a party spokesperson said.</p>.<p>"Senior National Conference leader and veteran politician Mian Altaf Ahmed has been nominated as the National Conference candidate for the South Kashmir Pir Panjal parliamentary seat," the spokesperson said.</p>.<p>Omar emphasised Ahmad's widespread popularity across various segments of society and expressed confidence that he would garner substantial support from the people.</p>.Former J&K minister PL Handoo's granddaughter joins National Conference.<p>The Anantnag constituency, which spreads across the Pir Panjal range to include Rajouri and Poonch areas after the delimitation, will go to polls on May 7 in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections.</p>.<p>The notification for the third phase will be issued on April 12 and the last date for filing nominations will be April 19.</p>.<p>The National Conference, which is part of the opposition INDIA bloc, will be contesting three Lok Sabha seats in the Kashmir Valley.</p>.<p>The PDP — which is also part of the INDIA alliance — is likely to field its own candidates for two of the three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir but the party has not made a formal announcement so far.</p>