Srinagar, Apr 17: Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad will not contest the Lok Sabha elections from Anantnag-Rajouri seat in Jammu and Kashmir, his party said on Wednesday.

DPAP's provincial president, Kashmir, Mohammad Amin Bhat said the party has now decided to field its leader Mohammad Saleem Parray from the seat.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference senior leader Mian Altaf are contesting from the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat.

"Azad will not contest the elections (from Anantnag-Rajouri seat)," Bhat told reporters in Anantnag.

"A meeting took place with Azad and it was decided that advocate Saleem Parray will be the DPAP candidate for the Anantnag-Rajouri seat," he added.

The DPAP leader said Azad has some reasons not to contest -- without divulging those reasons.

"He gave some reasons (in the meeting) and then we took a decision on fielding Parray from the seat," Bhat said.

On April 2, the DPAP announced that Azad will contest from the Anantnag-Rajouri seat. "Today the core committee of DPAP met and we have decided that (party president) Ghulam Nabi Azad will contest the Anantnag-Rajouri seat," DPAP leader Taj Mohiuddin had said.

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Patna (PTI): Leader of Opposition in Bihar assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, on Tuesday exuded confidence that the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC will again be voted to power in West Bengal.

Yadav returned to Patna after a four-day poll campaign in West Bengal.

“The atmosphere there is euphoric and people want to bring Didi (Mamata Banerjee) back to power. I am fully confident that the TMC will win the election,” he told reporters here.

He said that a large number of people from Bihar living in West Bengal share a lot of love and respect for Mamata Banerjee.

Responding to BJP’s allegations that the TMC had “ruined” West Bengal during its tenure, the RJD leader said the “entire country has been ruined under the Narendra Modi-led government”.

“I want to ask one question to Modi ji – you have been prime minister for more than 11 years, tell me one thing you have done for Bengal,” Yadav said.

The first phase of elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly was held on April 23, while the second phase will take place on April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.