{Baramulla}

Days after the Peoples Conference chairperson Sajjad Lone reached out to Apni Party for backing in north Kashmir’s Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, the Altaf Bukhari-led party on Monday extended its support to Lone, who is locked in direct contest with National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah.

Apni Party has already announced candidates for Srinagar and Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seats. However, party president Altaf Bukhari in the presence of senior party leaders said thy have decided to support Lone after consultations with 18 constituency heads from Baramulla.

“We have announced candidates for Srinagar and Anantnag, but in Baramulla we will support Sajjad Lone,” he said.

Shortly after Bukhari endorsed Lone’s candidature, the latter expressed his gratitude on social media.

“I express my sincere gratitude to @SMAltafBukhariand leaders of the @Apnipartyonline for extending support to our party in the Baramulla parliamentary constituency, in response to our request for support. I wish them and our party all the best in the elections,” Sajjad Lone wrote on X.

Apni Party has considerable presence in many assembly segments across Baramulla, which is spread over four districts and their support will bolster Lone’s prospects.

Besides, Apni Party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and former chief minister (CM) Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Democratic Progressive Azad Party will also not contest from the Baramulla seat. There is also a possibility that both these parties may in the coming days endorse Lone.

Bukhari and Lone had recently held a meeting with the BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir in-charge Tarun Chug at Bukhari’s residence in Srinagar.

Omar, meanwhile, has maintained that both Lone and Bukhari as “B” and ”C” teams of the BJP.