Srinagar: National Conference on Friday won the election to DDC chairperson’s post in Rajouri while Congress bagged the vice-chairperson’s post.
In the elections held at DC office complex on Friday, NC’s Naseem Liaqat was elected as the chairperson while the Congress candidate Shabir Ahmed Khan bagged the vice- chairperson’s post.
Earlier, the first meeting to elect chairperson and vice-chairperson was held on 13 February but was adjourned due to lack of quorum.
With the conclusion of elections of chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of DDCs today, the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) has wrested the top slots in eight districts – five in Kashmir and three in the Jammu region — while the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) has captured top positions in six districts of Jammu region.
Among PAGD allies, NC has chair in six districts, while PDP and CPI(M) has bagged the position in one district each.
Apni Party has bagged the slot of chairperson in two districts – Srinagar and Shopian. The party has however faced charges of poaching councilors from other parties in Shopian district where it had won only two out of 14 seats in DDC elections held last year.
Peoples Conference has bagged the key position of chairperson in its stronghold of Kupwara where it emerged as the single largest party by winning five out of 13 seats for which results were declared.
In neighbouring district of Baramulla, Safina Baig, who was supported by Peoples Conference, managed to win the seat of chairperson.
In Srinagar district, Apni Party candidates, Aftab Malik and Bilal Ahmad won elections for chairperson and vice-chairperson, respectively.
In Kulgam district, Muhammad Afzal from CPI (M) and Shazia Jan from National Conference (NC) were unanimously elected as chairperson and vice- chairperson, respectively.
In Pulwama, Syed Bari Andrabi of PDP and Mukhtar Bhand of NC were elected as chairperson and vice-chairperson respectively.
In Anantnag, Muhammad Yousuf Gorsi from NC and Advocate Javiad Sheikh from PDP were elected as chairperson and vice-chairperson respectively by securing 11 votes each.
In Ganderbal, Nuzhat Ishfaq from NC got nine votes and simultaneously got elected as chairperson while Bilal Ahmad from PDP bagged eight votes and won the vice-chairperson’s post.
In Bandipora, Abdul Gani from NC bagged seven votes and was elected chairperson and Kounsar Shafeeq from PDP got eight votes and bagged vice-chairperson’s position.
In Kupwara, Irfan Panditpuri from PC was elected as chairperson of DDC while Haji Farooq, an independent bagged vice-chairperson’s post with the support of PC.
Safeena Baig, wife of former deputy chief minister Muzaffar Hussain, who was supported by PC and other political parties, managed to defeat PAGD’s Qurat Bashir while PC’s Sonullah Parrey won the election for vice-chairperson’s post in Baramulla.
In Shopian, Bilkees Akhtar from Apni Party bagged the vice-chairperson’s post by securing eight votes while Irfan Manhas got seven votes and later won vice-chairperson’s position through draw of lots.
An independent candidate Nazir Ahmad Khan won election for chairperson in Budgam after he and PAGD candidate bagged seven votes. The winner was decided through draw of lots.
In Jammu region, BJP managed to bag key positions in six districts while PAGD secured the position in three districts.
The BJP managed to win elections in Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Doda, Udhampur and Reasi while PAGD emerged victorious in three districts — Kishtwar, Ramban and Rajouri.
An independent candidate walked away with the slot in Poonch district where independents had won majority of seats in the polls.
