Elections for DDC chairpersons

Srinagar, February 19, 2021: The Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) has won the election for chairperson of district development council (DDC) in eight districts of J&K while the Bharatiya Janta Party has captured the slot in six districts.

The election for chairpersons of district development councils in J&K Union Territory concluded on Friday with holding of elections in Rajouri district.

Details available with news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) reveal that PAGD has bagged slots of the chairpersons in eight districts of Jammu & Kashmir, of which five are in Kashmir and three in Jammu.

Among PAGD allies, NC has won the slot in six districts, Peoples Democratic Party 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.

However, it has 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 pocket borough 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) & Shazia Jan from National Conference (NC) were unanimously elected as chairperson and vice- chairperson, respectively.

In Pulwama, Syed Bari Andrabi of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Mukhtar Bhand of NC were elected as chairman and vice chairman respectively.

In Anantnag, Muhammad Yousuf Gorsi from NC and Advocate Javiad Sheikh from PDP were elected as chairman and VC respectively by securing 11 votes each.

In Ganderbal, Nuzhat Ishfaq from NC got nine votes and simultaneously got elected as chairman while Bilal Ahmad from PDP bagged eight votes and won the VC post.

In Bandipora, Abdul Gani from NC bagged seven votes and was elected chairman and Kounsar Shafeeq from PDP got eight votes and bagged VC post.

In Kupwara, Irfan Panditpuri from PC was elected as chairman of DDC while Haji Farooq, an independent bagged VC’s post with support of PC.

Safeena Baig, wife of former deputy chief minister Muzaffar Hussain, who was supported by PC and other political managed to defeat PAGD’s Qurat Bashir while PC’s Sonullah Parrey won the election for VC post.

In Shopian, Bilkees Akhtar from Apni Party bagged the chairman post by securing eight votes while AP candidate Irfan Manhas got seven votes and later won 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 six key position 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.

The PAGD secured the position of chairperson in Kishtwar, Ramban and Rajouri districts.

An independent candidate walked away with the slot in Poonch district where independents had won majority of seats in the polls—(KNO)