The party patriarch had lost the constituency in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, but won it in a bye-election in 2017.
The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Monday decided to field its president and three-time chief minister Farooq Abdullah from the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat. The party also named former Assembly Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone as its candidate from Baramulla.
"The parliamentary board decided to field Dr Farooq Abdullah from Srinagar-Budgam constituency and Mohammad Akbar Lone from Baramulla constituency. Names of the candidates for other constituencies will be finalized in the next meeting", said a National Conference spokesman
Abdullah lost the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Srinagar to the then-PDP leader Tariq Hameed Karra. However, he wrested the seat in 2017 when he won the by-polls defeating the PDP nominee Nazir Khan. The Srinagar Lok Sabha seat had fallen vacant after Karra resigned in protest of the state government's handling of the security situation in 2016.
Lone, a former MLA from Sonawari Assembly constituency, has been fielded from Baramulla constituency. A National Conference stalwart, Lone had unsuccessfully contested against top counter-insurgent leader Kuka Parray in Sonawari in 1996.
The candidates were announced at a time when alliance talks with the Congress have hit a roadblock in the state. Sources said Congress wanted to contest the Anantnag seat and leave two seats for NC to contest in the Valley.
Congress, sources said, is ready to compensate NC by giving them one seat in Jammu region. However the NC leadership is adamant of contesting all the three seats of the Valley. NC, which is part of the 'mahagathbandan' at national level, wants Congress to focus on Jammu and Ladakh, sources said.
"The parliamentary board members were unanimously of the opinion that the party should content all six parliamentary constituencies. The board authorized the president to take the final decision on any coalition with secular forces taking into account the national political situation", the spokesman said.
On Sunday, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah nominated his son and party vice-president Omar Abdullah as the chief ministerial candidate. Farooq also hinted at contesting Lok Sabha polls to represent the party and state in the parliament.
"I will not become the chief minister. I want to make it clear. Omar will be the Chief Minister. He is young and I am old. I accept it. I can't rule like these youth. If anyone can compete with them, it is Omar. I am old. I can only use my brain. I will do it in the parliament. Inshallah (God Willing) I will go to the parliament," Abdullah said.
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