BJP, Congress head-to-head in Valley, Independents take lead

Samaan Lateef

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, October 20

For the first time in the history of Kashmir politics, the BJP will be holding public welfare offices after the saffron party won 12 of the 40 municipalities in the Valley while the Congress won from 11 municipalities.

The Independents, whose support is claimed by both Congress and BJP, won 14 municipalities of Kashmir, where two major political parties — National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party — had boycotted the urban bodies elections elections.

Of the three remaining municipalities, two had no candidates, while in the Achabal municipality of Anantnag district, both Congress and BJP won two seats each while one seat went to an Independent. Kashmir recorded the lowest ever voter turnout of 4.3 per cent in its electoral history in the civic polls.

Of the total 598 wards in the 40 civic bodies in the 10 districts of Kashmir, the Congress bagged 138 wards while the BJP won from 100 wards. The Independents won from 175 wards and there were no candidates from 185 wards.

Sajad Lone’s People’s Conference, which is an ally of the BJP in J&K, won from north Kashmir’s Handwara municipality with a clear majority. The party candidate, Junaid Azim Mattu, who is tipped to be the Mayor of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation, also won from three wards.

In volatile south Kashmir’s 20 municipalities, the BJP has won from 10 municipalities, Congress from four municipalities and Independents got a majority in three municipalities.

According to official figures, the BJP has won from five municipalities of Anantnag district, three municipalities of Pulwama district, one municipality of Kulgam district and the lone municipality of Shopian district.

The relatively peaceful central Kashmir municipalities leaned towards the Congress where the party won three municipalities from Budgam district. The Ganderbal, Magam, Beerwah and Khan Sahib municipalities went to the Independents.

In north Kashmir’s three districts, the Congress won from three municipalities of Bandipora district and two from Baramulla district. The BJP also won two municipalities — Sopore and Watergam — in Baramulla district. The Kupwara and Langate municipalities went to the Independents.

The municipal elections were held for the first time after 2005 when the voter turnout was 48 per cent. In the past seven decades, the municipal elections were held only four times. The 2005 elections had taken place after 27 years.

PC has clear majority in Handwara

• The Independents, whose support is claimed by both Congress and BJP, won 14 municipalities of Kashmir
• Sajad Lone’s People’s Conference, which is an ally of the BJP in J&K, won from north Kashmir’s Handwara municipality with a clear majority. The party candidate, Junaid Azim Mattu, who is tipped to be the Mayor of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation, also won from three wards
• The relatively peaceful central Kashmir municipalities leaned towards the Congress. The party won three municipalities from Budgam district