102 candidates left in fray in 1st phase of J&K assembly poll

   
SRINAGAR: A record number of 102 candidates were left in fray after 27 nominees, mostly independents, on Monday withdrew their candidatature in ten assembly seats of Jammu and Kashmir going to polls in the first phase of the staggered elections on November 17.
   
The highest number of 13 candidates withdrew nominations from the four seats of Ladakh region followed by 11 in the three seats of Poonch and three from Sonawari, one of the three segments of Bandipora district, official sources said.
   
Monday was the last date of withdrawal of nominations for the ten constituencies of Leh and Nobra in Leh district and Kargil and Zanskar in Kargil district, Poonch-Haveli, Mendhar and Surankote in Poonch district and Gurez, Bandipora and Sonawari in Bandipora district.
   
Giving breakup of the withdrawals, the sources said five candidates withdrew in Mendhar, four in Surankote and two in Poonch-Haveli, six in Zanskar and three in Kargil and four in Nobra. There was no withdrawal in Leh, Bandipora and Gurez constituencies.
   
With the withdrawal of nominations, a total of 102 candidates remained in fray with Bandipora district accounting for the highest number of 47 candidates followed by 36 in Poonch and 19 in Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh region, the sources said.
   
The sources said 22 candidates will fight it out for Sonawari seat, 19 for Bandipora and six for Gurez in Bandipora district while 13 candidates lock horns for Poonch-haveli, 12 in Mendhar and 11 in Surankote.