National Conference leads in 3 Jammu and Kashmir seats, Congress in 2

Srinagar/Jammu May 16 (IANS) Initial trends Saturday indicated the Congress leading in two seats while its alliance partner, the National Conference (NC), was leading in three Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir.

NC patron and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah was leading over his People's Democratic Party (PDP) rival, Molvi Ifftekhar Hussain Ansari, at the end of the first round of counting in Srinagar.

NC candidate Mirza Mehboob Beg was leading over his PDP rival Peer Muhammad Hussain in Anantnag while Sharief-ud-Din Shariq of the NC was leading over separatist leader Sajjad Gani Lone in Baramulla constituency.

In the assembly by-polls for the Sonawar seat in Srinagar, the PDP candidate Muhammad Ashraf Bhat was leading over his NC rival, Yasin Shah, at the end of the first round.

In Udhampur and Jammu seats, Congress candidates were leading over their BJP rivals.