Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): In a significant development ahead of the much anticipated Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, jailed cleric Sarjan Barkati, the face of the 2016 agitation in the aftermath of the killing of flamboyant militant commander Burhan Wani, will contest the upcoming polls from south Kashmir's Shopian as an independent candidate, family sources said.
Barkati and his wife are lodged in jail since August last year in an alleged terror-funding case. Sources told ETV Bharat that Barkati's daughter will file his nomination on his behalf from Zainpora assembly seat of Shopian scheduled to go to polls in the first phase on September 18, at the DC Office today. Today is the last day for filing the nominations for the first phase.
Sources said that Barkati's daughter will spearhead the election campaign, taking cue from jailed MP, Er Rashid, who too is facing terror charges. Rashid's son Abrar had led the campaign on behalf of his father Rashid during the Lok Sabha elections 2024. Rashid, in a dramatic turn of events, emerged victorious defeating his nearest rival and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah from the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat.
The Zainpora assembly constituency, formed after the Jammu and Kashmir delimitation and erstwhile Wachi constituency, has emerged as a PDP bastion in recent years represented by PDP's Aijaz Mir. Mir, who was sidelined from the seat by the PDP, is also contesting as an Indendent candidate. PDP President, who is herself sitting out in the upcoming assembly polls, has fielded her long time confidante Ghulam Mohiuddun Wani from the seat leaving Mir dejected. The National Conference has fielded Showkat Hussain Ganie from the Zainpora assembly constituency.
Barkati, who was the face of the 2016 agitation after the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani on August 8 that year, was arrested on October 1, 2016 and was released in October 2020. He was rearrested by the Jammu and Kashmir State Investigation Agency in August last year in a terror funding case followed by the arrest of his wife in the case.
