New Delhi: The results of the District Development Council (DDC) elections held for the first time after the removal of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and the formation of Union Territory were revealed on Tuesday. These important results will pave the way forward for the state’s politics. As a result, the Gupkar alliance has emerged as the biggest alliance, while the BJP has got the prize of the largest party. But the magic of BJP could only go on in Hindu-majority Jammu, while the Valley supported the secret alliance, there was no significant impact of BJP here. Along with this, the growth of a large number of independents is also surprising. If this increase translates into results, then independent candidates can play a decisive role in making the president of different districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
As per the final results, the Gupakar coalition has been in the forefront by winning 112 seats in Jammu and Kashmir. However, the BJP has also won 74 seats. In this sense, it has emerged as the largest party in the union territory. Talking of different parties in the Gupkar alliance, while the National Conference (NC) finished second by winning 67 seats, Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP won only 27 seats. Even independents have got 49 seats. Apart from this, Congress also won 26 seats. However, the good news for the BJP is that it has opened its account in the Kashmir Valley as well.
BJP has got majority in 6 out of 10 districts in Jammu region. The party will make its DDC chairman here in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Doda and Resai. At the same time, BJP has won only 3 seats in the Muslim-majority Kashmir Valley. These seats are Khonmoh-2 of Srinagar, BJP’s Ejaz Hussain has won, Ejaz Ahmed Khan has won in Bandipora, while Minha Latif has won from Kakpora in Pulwama.
After the results, Omar Abdullah said that the conspiracy to eliminate the opposition in public failed. At the same time PDP President Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, “These results show that removal of 370 was unconstitutional. The Government of India had left no stone unturned to prevent us from winning. Mehbooba Mufti hit out at the Center, saying that the people of Kashmir have voted in favor of the crime and the way the Center unfairly removed Article 370 has been completely ruled out. Apart from him, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said that we did not make these elections a referendum, nor did we campaign more. Still people have supported us.
