Jammu: A day ahead of the scheduled elections for the posts of DDC chairperson and vice-chairperson in Ramban district, the National Conference (NC) received a shot in the arm on Wednesday as three independent councillors joined the party.
The NC, with six seats, emerged as the largest party in the district but fell short of majority by two seats. However, it was enjoying support from the Congress and was set to win the District Development Council (DDC) chairperson’s post in the district reserved for women.
Three independent DDC members — Bashir Ahmed Runiyal, Rabia Rasheed Beig and Fayaz Ahmed Nayak — joined the party in the presence of its provincial president Devender Singh Rana here, an NC spokesperson said.
The election to the DDC posts was deferred in the district on February 13 due to the lack of quorum. However, the NC had claimed that the absence of three BJP councillors was deliberate to deprive the party of the posts.
Welcoming the three councillors, Rana said their coming to the party fold at a time when some “unethical practices” are being set by some political parties to grab power by hook or crook speaks of their sincerity towards the larger public cause.
“The present spate of political opportunism is unfortunate, especially as the issues are related to governance at the grassroots level. The horse trading amounts to shaking the faith of the people in democracy. That such a precedence is being set to trample the public mandate is all the more disgusting,” he said.
After discussing the impending elections to the posts of the chairperson and the vice-chairperson of DDC Ramban, the spokesperson said Shamshad Shan will be the party’s candidate for the slot of the chairperson and Rabia Rashid Beig for vice-chairperson.
