Jammu & Kashmir: Ghulam Nabi Azad, the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, announced on Monday that his party, the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), will independently contest the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly Polls in the region. 

Azad asserted that they have a substantial number of candidates ready for the 5 Lok Sabha seats and 90 Assembly seats. Speaking exclusively to Republic, Azad ruled out any possibility of any pre-poll alliance for the Lok Sabha and Assembly Polls and any post-poll alliance for the Assembly polls. "We are going to contest on our own in the Lok Sabha and Assembly Polls, we are not going for any post-poll alliance, we are not going to lose," he added. 

This decision marks a significant move as Jammu and Kashmir prepares for its first Assembly Polls post the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A.

Jammu and Kashmir are expected to witness the first Assembly Polls after the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A before September this year, after the Supreme Court passed directions to the Elections Commission for holding Assembly elections on 11 December 2023 while passing a verdict on the Abrogation of Article 370 and 35A.