BJP Sweeps Urban Local Bodies’ Polls In 4 districts Of South Kashmir & Retains Hold In Jammu Region

BHARATIYA Janata Party, claimed to be the world’s largest political outfit, has literally  performed a  miracle  in the recently held  local bodies’  poll in Jammu  Kashmir  .The saffron party has gained control of at least four of the 20 civic bodies in the four districts of  South Kashmir’s  Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian.Its  candidate will be Mayor  of  Srinagar, the  state’s capital .Percentage  of voters’ turnout  in the  Kashmir Valley  dominated by Muslims  was low whereas it was appreciable  in Hindu majority  Jammu region.

Out of the 132 wards, BJP claimed victory in 53 wards. Results of 94 wards of South Kashmir have been declared so far.Congress has managed to win 28 seats. Congress now has control of at least three municipal bodies. The BJP, however, failed to open its account in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ladakh region.Out of the total 26 wards in this region, the Congress bagged all the 13 seats in Leh municipal committee. It also won five wards in neighbouring Kargil district. Six seats in the region have gone to independent candidates, while the result of only two seats is awaited. The voting was held for the 52 civic bodies in four phases earlier this month. There are a total of 79 municipal bodies in J&K, which includes two municipal corporations, six municipal councils and 71 municipal committees. The two main Kashmir-based parties — the National Conference (NC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) — had boycotted the polls over the issue of Article 35A of the Indian Constitution. Out of the 624 municipal wards in the Kashmir Valley, no candidate has filed nomination papers in 177 municipal wards. The urban local bodies’ polls in the state were held after 13 years. Of the 598 wards in Kashmir, 231 candidates were elected unopposed while there were no candidates for 181 wards. BJP has won Jammu Municipal Corporation elections. Former CM Omar Abdulla Tweets that Congress has a lot to worry about it relevance in the sensitive border state. BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav says BJP has recaptured Jammu corporation winning 43/75 seats. Also it has secured majority in 14 Municipal bodies in Jammu region. A beaming  Prime Minister  Narendra Modi tweets : I salute the entire team of @BJP4JnK for their stupendous efforts in the local body elections. I am glad that they reached out to every section of society and explained the Party’s development agenda.(with  inputs from TOI & Republic TV)