Cross-voting by PAGD helps Safeena Baig to win post of chairperson

Srinagar, February 13, 2021: In a major embarrassment to the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration(PAGD), its district development council (DDC) members in north Kashmir’s politically-significant Baramulla district on Saturday cross voted against its own candidate, helping Safeena Baig to win.

Safeena Baig, an independent candidate backed by Peoples Conference and others, won the election for the post of chairperson of district development council (DDC) Baramulla while Sonullah Parrey of PC bagged the position of deputy chairperson.

Both the camps had support of seven members each, which they also publicly demonstrated on February 8 when election was adjourned due to lack of quorum after PAGD members abstained.

While three members of PC, two from Apni Party and  Muzaffar Dar (an independent candidate ) were supporting Safeena, PAGD comprised of two members each from NC, PDP, Congress and Irfan Hafeez Lone (an independent candidate)

An official told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that Safeena Baig secured 10 votes while her rival Qurat-Ul-Bashir of PDP managed to get only four votes. For the post of vice-chairperson, PC’s Sonullah Parrey and Irfan Hafiz Lone got seven votes each.

“The winner for VC post was declared through draw of lots,” he said. This means three members who voted for Safina did not vote for PC candidate during the election for VC post. “Apni Party voted against us during the election for VC post ,” a Peoples Conference leader told KNO—(KNO)