J&K DDC polls: Party`s big win shows people`s trust in PM Narendra Modi`s leadership, says BJP

JAMMU: The BJP on Wednesday said that the party’s big victory in the District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir showed Kashmiri people’s trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and his government’s pro-people policies.

Addressing a press briefing, Anurag Thakur, BJP's in-charge of DDC polls in Jammu and Kashmir, said, "it is important to know that independent candidates have polled more votes than the Congress and the PDP. The same Mehbooba Mufti who'd refused to unfurl the Tricolour has got a befitting reply today.''

“The trust which the J&K people have put in Narendra Modiji, the support which they've shown to his policies, and to his work to strengthen the democratic principles, are the reasons why BJP has got 3 seats in the Kashmir Valley,” Thakur said. 

BJP leader BL Santosh said, "Is it not an endorsement of abrogation? Democracy & India have won today."

Santhosh also questioned the People`s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration’s (PAGD) claim that the results are an endorsement of its stand against the abrogation of Article 370, wondering what does its loss in nearly 177 seats mean then.?

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh also hailed the results through a tweet. "BJP has been accepted as pan-#JammuAndKashmir party. ''It is a vindication of PM @narendramodi’s decision to introduce 3-tier democracy which has provided a genuine outlet to democratic aspirations of people,'' he tweeted on the J&K DDC elections.

The reaction from the saffron leaders came after it BJP emerged as the single largest party, winning wins 75 seats in DDC elections. Importantly, for the first time, the BJP also bagged three seats in Kashmir Valley, while PAGD maintained an overall lead in the polls.

The PAGD was restricted to only 110 seats and failed to cross the halfway mark of 140 during the District Development Council elections, whereas the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the single largest party, winning 75 seats alone.

While dominating the electorate in the Kashmir division, PAGD has only managed to grab three seats in Srinagar, with independent candidates winning seven seats, and BJP winning one seat from Srinagar.

BJP`s Aijaz Hussain, who won from Srinagar`s Balhama constituency is Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha`s national Vice President. The PAGD`s poor performance in Srinagar is being seen as the people`s disappointment with the older order and their willingness to go with the independent leaders in the valley. 

Independent candidates emerged victorious in 49 DDC seats, way more than Mehbooba Mufti`s People`s Democratic Party, which only managed to grab 27 seats. Among the PAGD allies, the National Conference won the highest number of 67 seats, followed by PDP with 27 seats, People`s Conference took 8 seats, CPI(M) won 5 seats and J&K Peoples Movement only 3 seats.

The BJP on the other hand, won 74 seats, including three in the Kashmir division. However, it only managed to get a clear majority in six districts of the Jammu division, including Jammu, Udhampur, Kathua, Doda, Reasi and Samba.

Congress`s Nasir Ahmed Mir, son of Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Ghulam Ahmad Mir, lost the elections from Anantnag`s Verinag constituency. Mir was defeated by Independent candidate Peer Shahbaz Ahmad. The Congress party was restricted to only 26 DDC seats. 

The DDC elections were the first democratic exercise after the abrogation of Article 370 last year. Besides the DDC election, polling was held for the Panchayat bypolls in 50 vacant Sarpanch seats and 216 vacant Panch seats falling within the DDC constituencies.

The voting was conducted in eight phases and the counting of the ballots started on Tuesday.