Mufti Tassaduq Hussain, cinematographer-turned-politician son of People’s Democratic Party founder late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, will contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha bypoll for Anantnag seat vacated by his sister Mehbooba Mufti, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
Hussain’s candidature for the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency was cleared by the ruling PDP’s Political Affairs Committee, a party spokesman said in a statement in Srinagar.
The PAC also cleared the name of Nazir Ahmad Khan, who joined the party recently after quitting Congress, for the prestigious Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.
While Srinagar constituency will go to polls on April 9, polling for Anantnag seat will be held on April 12.
This will be first foray into electoral politics for Hussain, who officially joined the PDP on January 7 at a function organised to commemorate the first death anniversary of his father.
Prior to joining politics, Hussain was working as cinematographer in Bollywood, having been part of hits like Omkara.
The PDP spokesman said the names of the two candidates were cleared at an extraordinary meeting of the Political Affairs Committee chaired by party president Mehbooba Mufti.
“All permanent members and special invitees unanimously cleared the candidature of two party leaders,” he said.
The spokesman said the PAC also discussed the political scenario in the state and exuded confidence that the electorate will take keen interest in the upcoming polls to further strengthen the democratic institutions and political process in the state.
Anantnag Lok Sabha seat fell vacant in June last after Mehbooba won the assembly bypolls, as required by law to continue as the chief minister.
The Srinagar Lok Sabha seat fell vacant after former PDP leader Tariq Hamid Karra resigned last year in September in protest against alleged ‘brutalities’ on protesters in the Kashmir valley in the aftermath of the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces.