J-K admin trying ‘collect’ Independent candidates for BJP, alleges Omar Abdullah

STATE TIMES NEWS

SRINAGAR: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Wednesday alleged that the Jammu and Kashmir administration was trying to woo the Independent candidates who won the District Development Council polls in supporting the BJP and “its recently formed subsidiary”.

The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), which include the National Conference and PDP, have accused the BJP of “forming” the Apni Party led by Altaf Bukhari by luring leaders from other parties.

The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) swept the maiden District Development Council (DDC) polls by winning 110 seats, while the BJP emerged as the single largest party by getting 75 seats after securing the largest vote share in Jammu and Kashmir.

Independent candidates have won 50 seats, Congress 26, Apni Party 12, PDF and the National Panthers Party two each and the BSP one.

“The administration has now taken on the responsibility of trying to collect independent candidates for the BJP and its recently formed subsidiary. It seems the government doesn’t have enough to do and has branched out in to this line of work as well,” Omar Abdullah tweeted.

The former chief minister claimed that an ex-legislator of his party has been taken away by the police to “stop him from contacting the Independent DDC members”.

“An ex-MLC of JKNC from South Kashmir has been taken away by the police to stop him contacting the independent DDC members elected in his district. At the same time the authorities are taking the trouble to transport some of these independents to Srinagar for ‘discussions’,” he alleged.

Independents will hold the key in election of District Development Council presidents in many of the 20 districts where no party or grouping have been able to win eight seats. Each district has 14 DDC seats.