Jammu and Kashmir [Images] Chief Minister Ghulam [Images] Nabi Azad Wednesday filed his nomination papers for the Bhaderwah constituency from where he is seeking election to the Legislative Assembly before the six-month deadline for becoming its member lapses.

Azad, who filed his nominations before the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Bhaderwah) Rakesh Khajuria around 1530 hours said he has never fought elections in Jammu and Kashmir before and the filing of nominations was a homecoming for him.

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Accompanied by his wife Shameema and son Saddam, Azad was taken in a road show, organised by local legislators from Patnitop to Bhaderwah amid tight security.

Azad, who had taken over as Jammu and Kashmir chief minister on November 3 had to become a member of the Assembly within a period of six months.

His cousin Niaz Shareif, who had earler held the seat had vacated it to facilitate Azad's election.

Azad said his contesting of elections from Bhaderwah has ended the Hindu-Muslim divide in area, which has seen highest degree of communal polarisation in the past.

I will ensure a facelift of Bhaderwah for setting up a model town, he said.

"He will take the Congress to the heights and will give a new look to the state's developmental policies to make Jammu and Kashmir a Khushal state," Legislator G A Mir said.

Bhaderwah along with three other Assembly segments of Rafiabad, Sangrama and Pattan will go to bypolls on April 24.