BJP wins 3 DDC seats in first-ever victory in Kashmir; emerges as single-largest party in J&K

J&K DDC Polls Results: Gupkar alliance wins maximum seats

While the counting of votes was going-on till filing of report, the results for 266 constituencies was declared in which BJP has won 74 seats, NC 63, independents 47, PDP 26, INC 23, JKAP 12, JKPC 8, CPI-M 5, JKPM 3, JKNPP 2, PDF 2 and BSP 1

The State Election Commission also informed that counting was deferred in Drugmulla, Kupwara and Hajin-A, Bandipora constituencies in view of a question that has arisen on eligibility of one each contesting candidates from the seats and added that a final decision in this regard shall be taken after taking all aspects into consideration. SEC appreciates DCs, Returning Officers, all counting staff engaged with counting
DDC elections held in 8 phases between Nov 28-Dec 19, with a voter turnout of 51.42%. It was the big election held after revocation of J&K’s special status.

STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration emerged as the single-largest coalition in the first-ever District Development Council polls in Jammu and Kashmir. On the other hand, BJP made inroads in the Union Territory by becoming the single-largest party and three of its candidates – Er. Aijaz Hussain, Aijaz Ahmed Khan, and Mina Lateef won in the Kashmir valley.
The eight-phase DDC polls, which began on November 28, is also the first election after Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 was revoked last year and it was reorganised into a Union Territory. In the election, 140 seats each in the Jammu and Kashmir regions went to polls.
The result in most seats in the DDC elections are in accordance with expectations – the BJP maintained its strength in the Jammu division while the PAGD, which includes regional heavyweights the National Conference (NC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), is ahead in Kashmir, besides Pir Panchal and the Chenab Valley regions of Jammu.
The BJP had something to cheer about in the Kashmir Valley as three of its candidates, Aijaz Hussain, Aijaz Ahmad Khan and Minha Lateef won from Khonmoh-II seat in Srinagar, Tulail seat in Bandipora district and Kakpora in Pulwama respectively.
This is for the first time the BJP has registered a win in the Valley while facing regional heavyweights like the NC and the PDP.
Highlighting the wins in the Kashmir Valley, BJP general secretary Vibodh Gupta congratulated victorious party candidates, especially those who had won in Kashmir, and said the people of the Valley have exhibited their faith in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It’s a big victory for Modi’s vision: Chugh

JAMMU: Seen as a force behind magnificent performance of his party in the crucial democratic exercise at the grass roots level, BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh on Monday described the results of Jammu and Kashmir District Development elections as a big victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of development and progress.
“It is triumph of democracy and acknowledgment of the Prime Minister’s tireless endeavours to put Jammu and Kashmir on fast-track development and ensure welfare of the people”, Tarun Chugh, who is also incharge of Jammu and Kashmir besides Ladakh and Telengana, said amid the trickling of results across the Union Territory .
Chugh is being largely hailed for his tireless electioneering and monitoring of the BJP’s campaign as part of his new assignment and challenging responsibility bestowed upon him by the high command.
Tarun Chugh observed that the overwhelming turnout of voters in the elections to grass roots level democratic institutions is also indicative of the fact that people have rejected terrorism and are looking for a new chapter in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said the BJP had a big number of victorious independents on its side as well. He said a new chapter has opened in J&K and it would go a long way to help people who remained deprived of development. These elections would go a long way in strengthening the participatory democracy and provide opportunity to the chosen representatives to fix priorities for development in their areas.
“This is a watershed movement for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who reposed their faith in ballot and sent a loud message that they want peace, prosperity and development”, Tarun Chug said, adding that the BJP is committed to ameliorating lot of the people and provide equal of equal opportunities to all as per the cherished agenda of the Prime Minister ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas’. He said the BJP stands guarantee to peaceful and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir.
He complimented the people for their massive participation in the democratic exercise. 

“The people of Kashmir exhibited their faith in PM Narendra Modi’s vision of Naya Kashmir, and sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas,” Gupta, who is also the party’s in-charge for Kashmir, said. He said the victories mark a “change of wave” in the Valley and added that the maiden victory in Kashmir “speak of two stories — one of a tough fight by the BJP, marking the beginning of a new era in the Valley, and the other of conveying a strong message to Gupkar alliance that the end of their communal and divisive politics is near.” Senior PDP leader Waheed Parra, who is at present in jail after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested him in a terror funding case, won from Pulwama-1 and polled 1,323 votes against BJP’s Sajjad Ahmed Raina who polled only 321 votes.
However, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and NC vice president Omar Abdullah said the results of the DDC elections have made it clear that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have voted for the Gupkar alliance and rejected the Centre’s decision to abrogate Article 370.
Abdullah was quick enough to counter the BJP’s claims, tweeting, “I understand the temptation to over play the 3 seats the BJP has won in the valley but why underplay the 35 wins/leads of the @JKPAGD in Jammu province.
“We aren’t Kashmir based parties, we are political parties with strong support in both Kashmir AND Jammu,” the NC leader tweeted
Reacting to the results, Abdullah told PTI that the results and emerging trends of the DDC polls should be an eye-opener for the BJP and its “proxy political party”. He was apparently referring the JKAP.
Today’s DDC results have made it clear that people of J&K voted en masse for @JKPAGD thus rejecting the unconstitutional decision to abrogate Article 370. They have overwhelmingly supported @JKPAGD which stands for restoration of J&Ks special status, the PDP president said.
On August 5 last year, the Centre had revoked the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and divided it into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Former ministers Taj Mohi-ud Din (INC), Aijaz Khan (JKAP) and Abdul Gani Malik (NC) emerged victorious from Paranpillan constituency in Baramulla district, Thuroo constituency and Mahore constituency in Reasi district respectively.
Among the prominent loser from Kashmir was Naseer Ahmad Mir, son of state Congress chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir. He lost to an independent candidate Peer Shahbaz Ahmad.
The State Election Commissioner (SEC), K K Sharma has lauded the efforts of all the employees engaged in the counting of votes for all the DDC Constituencies that began at 9.00 am today in all the 20 Districts of Jammu & Kashmir.