Srinagar: Four candidates of Ghulam Nabi Azad's party Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) withdrew their nomination papers in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, after he backed away from electioneering citing health issues, media reports said.

On Wednesday, the former Congress veteran had expressed his inability to take part in the poll campaign due to poor health and asked them to decide if they could continue without him on the campaign trail, reported the Indian Express.

Despite the DPAP's limited influence in the election, aside from a few seats in the Chenab region, Azad's party had the potential to split the anti-BJP vote.

With Azad stepping back, the Congress-NCP alliance is likely to gain from a greater share of the anti-BJP votes.

All four candidates, who withdrew nominations, belong to Jammu’s Chenab region, which comprises Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban districts—considered stronghold of Azad.

The former J&K chief minister had announced candidates in 13 constituencies—seven in the Kashmir division and six in the Chenab belt for the first phase of the assembly polls, covering 24 seats.

The DPAP candidates who withdrew their nomination papers are Mohammad Aslam Goni (Bhaderwah seat), Fatima Begum (Inderwal), Asif Ahmad Khanday (Banihal) and Girdhari Lal Bhau (Ramban) – pulled out from the fray.

The candidates said Azad’s absence would undermine their winning prospects as he was their star campaigner.