NEW DELHI: Votes will be counted for the major District Development Council (DDC) elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, and the contest was held primarily between the People’s Alliance for the Gupkar Declaration and the BJP.
The results of the DDC elections are important to both the Popular Alliance and the BJP. This is the first time that elections have been held in Jammu and Kashmir after the annulment of Article 370 of the Constitution, which removed the special status enjoyed by the state. It also demoted it from status to Union territory.
The results would be, in a way, a referendum on the nullity of Article 370.
While the Popular Alliance, a front of the PPD led by Mehbooba Mufti, the National Conference and Congress led by Omar Abdullah, fought in the elections in the plan to restore the special status of Jammu and Kashmir by undoing the annulment of Article 370 of the Constitution. , the BJP has bet on development issues.
The Apni Party, led by Altaf Bukhari, which was formed in March, is also in the fray. The Apni Party candidates and some independents are widely believed to have the support of the BJP.
PDP communications chief Suhail Bukhari told timesofindia.com that the united front campaigned promising that it would resist and fight against all the “unconstitutional and illegal” decisions perpetrated by the Narendra Modi government on the people of the former state.
“We are in favor of eliminating all unconstitutional laws regarding Jammu and Kashmir and which are intended to disempower and disenfranchise people politically, economically and in every way,” he added.
On the other hand, the BJP focused its campaign on development issues and demolishing the demands of the Declaration of the Popular Alliance by Gupkar.
Speaking to timesofindia.com, BJP spokesman and former Union minister Shahnawaz Hussain said the party contested the election primarily on the development plan.
He said. “For us, DDC means development, Kashmir free from dynasties and corruption.”
Hussain alleged that the “Gupkar gang” tried to mislead people. “Janata maang rahui jawab, Gupkar gang se gumrah gang kyun bun gayi (The people of Kashmir are looking for an explanation why the People’s Alliance became a deceptive gang of the Gupkar gang),” he said.
He said the People’s Alliance never raised development issues. “Who stopped them from doing it? Therefore, there is anger against the Gupkar gang. ”
Shahnawaz alleged that Mehbooba Mufti had nothing to boast about regarding his party’s contribution to the development of the state. “She and her party just emotionally exploited people and didn’t do any development work. The central point of their campaign was that India should talk to Pakistan about Kashmir, ”he said.
The other topic that remained the topic of conversation during the campaign was the discreet campaign of the leaders of the Popular Alliance.
Neither congressional leader, nor the sullen leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, who hails from Union territory, campaigned in the DDC elections.
The Abdullahs, father Farooq Abdullah and son Omar Abdullah, did not leave their home either. The sources said they took precautions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the BJP, Union Minority Welfare Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Shahnawaz Hussain campaigned in the Kashmir Valley while Union Ministers Smriti Irani and Jitendra Singh, among others, campaigned in the Jammu region. .
The PDP alleged that restrictions were placed on its leaders and candidates. “Mehbooba Mufti was subjected to undeclared house arrest on multiple occasions. In addition to her, several Popular Alliance candidates were unable to campaign freely as their movement was restricted in the name of security. On the other hand, the BJP leaders had a field day, ”said Suhail Bukhari.
Journalist-turned-politician Bukhari, who has himself contested the Sangrama DDC elections in Baramullah district, said Mehbooba has been prevented from leaving his home at least three times in recent days in the name of security.
However, Shahnawaz Hussain, who campaigned in the Kashmir Valley as the BJP in charge of the DDC elections there, rejected the PDP’s accusations and said there was anger among local people against Mehbooba Mufti. “She herself is not meeting with people to avoid her outburst. Instead, he is falsely accusing the administration of preventing him from campaigning, ”he said.
Hussain, who is in charge of the BJP for the DDC elections in the Valley, said the administration was also not allowing her to leave due to security concerns, as there was anger against her among the people.
As of November 20, the DDC elections were held in eight phases. The last last phase took place on December 19. Elections were held for 280 seats, 140 each in the Jammu and Kashmir Valley region. There are 40 districts, 20 each in Jammu and Kashmir, and each district has 14 seats.
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