Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Dec 23: As anticipated, the District Development Council (DDC) elections seem to have created clear cut division in the newly-created union territory of Jammu and Kashmir between the Hindu-dominated Jammu region and the Muslim-dominated Kashmir valley.
While the BJP performed well in the Jammu region having secured control of six of the 10 DDCs, the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) of seven parties led by the National Conference of Farooq Abdullah has clinched majority in nine of the 10 DDCs in the valley. None of the parties have secured clear verdict in the remaining five DDCs where the independents could emerge as the king makers.
While the BJP for the first time made entry in the Kashmir valley by winning three seats out of the 140 in the 10 DDCs in the region, the PAGD, which was not expected to do well in the Jammu region sprang a surprise by winning 35 seats (25 for NC alone).
The number of seat-wise, with the results of 276 seats out of the total 280 seats in the 20 DDCs available so far, the PAGD has won 112, the BJP 74 (71 in Jammu region and three in the valley), the Congress 26 and independents 49. Of the PAGD share, National Conference has claimed 67 seats and Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP 27.
The results of four constituencies – one each in Bandipora and Kupwara districts of north Kashmir and Poonch and Rajouri districts in Jammu region –are still awaited.
The BJP’s share of 71 seats in the Jammu region included eight in Doda, 11 in Jammu, 13 in Kathua, three in Kishtwar, two in Rajouri, three in Ramban, seven in Reasi, 13 in Samba and 11 in Udhampur district, while NC’s 25 seats in the Hindu-dominated region included one in Doda, one in Jammu’s Dansal, six in Kishtwar, two in Poonch, five in Rajouri, six in Ramban, three in Reasi and one in Samba district.
The PAGD comprises of seven parties – National Conference (NC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen Shah’s Jammu and Kashmir People Democratic Front (PDF), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Javid Mustafa’s Jammu and Kashmir People Movement (JKPM), Sajjad Lone’s Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference (JKPC) and Muzaffar Shah’s Awami National Conference. While NC leader Farooq Abdullah was chosen as president of the PAGD, Mehbooba Mufti was picked to play the role of the vice-president. The polling was held over eight phases beginning November 28 and ending on December 19.
The DDC elections results have immediately kicked of verbal duel between the BJP and the former chief minister Omar Abdullah (NC) with both claiming the people’s verdict to have vindicated their respective stand. While the BJP’s poll in-charge Anurag Thakur said the DDC elections results were a “befitting reply” to Mehbooba Mufi who had refused to furl the national tricolor, Omar Abdullah took a swipe at the BJP stating the saffron party had not been able to establish its supremacy even in the Hindu-dominated region.
Attacking the BJP, Omar said on Wednesday it was not even “fully Jammu based” party. “I congratulate them (BJP) for their 3 seats (in Kashmir) but what about our 35 seats in Jammu. Admit that we’ve pan J&K presence. BJP keeps calling us Kashmir based party. If we are Kashmir based with 35 seats in Jammu, then they are not even fully Jammu based,” he said addressing a meeting of his party workers.
He also questioned the BJP claiming itself to be the single largest party with 74 seats to NC’s 67 pointing out that the NC did not contest many seats because of its alliance partners. In a tweet, Abdullah said, “It’s amusing to see the desperation of the BJP propaganda wallas. Yesterday it was about 3 seats in the valley & today it’s about being the single largest party. They aren’t even embarrassed about making comparisons with @jknc which contested far fewer seats due to an alliance.”
In a counter-attack, Thakur said, “The trust which the J&K people have put in prime minister Narendra Modiji, the support which they’ve shown to his policies and to his work to strengthen the democratic principles, are the reasons why BJP has got 3 seats in the Kashmir Valley,” he said.
Criticising the BJP’s one-time ruling alliance partner, Thakur said the election results were a befitting reply to Mehbooba Mufti who had refused to unfurl the Tricolour. “Independent candidates have polled more votes than the Congress and the PDP. The same Mehbooba Mufti who’d refused to unfurl the Tricolour has got a befitting reply today,” Thakur said.
Mehbooba Mufti’s tricolour comment stoked a major controversy as she had said she would hoist the tricolour only when the state flag of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir would be allowed.
Countering the BJP’s ‘victory of democracy’ claim, Omar Abdullah said had BJP believed in democracy, they would have announced Assembly elections by now. “With this defeat, I don’t think BJP government will conduct Assembly elections here anytime soon. They would have announced the polls by now had they believed in democracy. So, we have time to strengthen our party,” he said.
Countering the BJP’s claim of the people reposing trust in Modi, Abdullah also questioned the centre’s decision on the abrogation of article 370. “If you really say that democracy has won, then you will have to listen to the voices of the people, and the people of Jammu and Kashmir have said it with a huge majority that they do not accept (the decisions of) August 5, 2019,” Abdullah said.
“We also accept it (that democracy has won). When did we say that we do not trust democracy? It is another thing that you do not trust us. We have been saying this from day one that we will fight for our rights but not unlawfully or unconstitutionally. We are not for disturbing the atmosphere in this state, but to make it better,” Abdullah said while addressing the party workers.
“We must also accept that there are some weaknesses in our organisation in some areas. We were expecting to win the election at some seats but could not,” he added.