Srinagar, Dec 23: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday termed the results of the District Development Council a “resounding slap” on the face of separatists, and their patrons in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a press conference, union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the district of Kulgam recorded 78.9 per cent turnout and Shopian 70.5 per cent. He also said Pulwama, which witnessed just 1.1 per cent voting in 2018 local body polls, recorded 7.4 per cent turnout in the DDC polls. He said this was a slap on the face of those who incite separatism in the Valley.
The BJP has made impressive gains in Jammu and Kashmir. It has won 75 seats, 72 in Jammu and 3 in Kashmir. The minister said that the results were a victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “larger narrative” for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. “This is a victory for India, democracy, hope, development and people of Jammu and Kashmir. This is a victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s larger narrative for Jammu and Kashmir,” Prasad told reporters.
The DDC election is the first poll exercise to be held after the abrogation of Article 370 — an issue that has brought many regional parties together to fight Centre. In the DDC election, seven regional parties of Kashmir came together under the banner of People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (better known as Gupkar Alliance) to fight the BJP. Farooq Abdullah’s National Conference and Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP are also part of the Gupkar Alliance.
The Gupkar Alliance has bagged 110 of 280 seats across the 20 districts of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. While the NC has won 67, the PDP could win just 27 seats.
Commenting on the Gupkar Alliance’s performance, Ravi Shankar Prasad said that it lost the election from the area of Burhan Wani.
He said that was important as Wani’s killing was made an issue of international campaign by “these elements” with Pakistan also raising the matter. He said that his party has won a number of polls across the country and habitual critics of Prime Minister Modi should take note of people’s faith in him.
