‘DDC election results manifestation of faith in democracy’
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP on Wednesday hailed the outcome of Jammu & Kashmir’s maiden District Development Council (DDC) elections, saying it was the manifestation of people’s faith in democracy and a slap in the face of separatists.
Shah also “heartily thanked” the people for voting the BJP as the single-largest party in the polls.
“I heartily thank our sisters and brothers of J&K for voting the BJP as the single largest party in the District Development Council elections. The BJP under the leadership of PM @narendramodi ji will continue to work relentlessly towards the prosperity and development of the J&K region,” Shah tweeted.
“Congratulations to the people of J&K for such great turnout in DDC polls. I applaud the efforts of our security forces & local administration for successfully conducting these multi-phased elections. This will further boost the morale and trust of people of J&K in democracy,” he added.
Earlier, stating that people of Jammu & Kashmir are “making a new beginning”, Union Minister for Law Ravishankar Prasad said the BJP has emerged as a “the single largest party in the poll and gained more votes than the National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Congress put together.
Prasad said it is the BJP with 75 seats in the DDC and as the single largest party that has won the people’s mandate and not the “opportunistic Gupkar alliance”.
Prasad said of the 49 independents winning in the elections, “several are backed by the BJP.” Independents have won more seats than the PDP, he said.
The Law Minister said the BJP (4,23,364 votes) received more votes in the DDC polls than the NC (2,22,514), PDP (56000) and the Congress(1,49382) together.
“Kashmir ghati main ‘kamal’ apne vajood par khila hai”, said the Law Minister pointing to three success of the party in the Kashmir Valley, including in Srinagar where Congress State president’s son lost his election.
The senior BJP leader said elections are the victory of people of Kashmir who have “rendered a resounding slap in the face of extremists, terrorists, separatists and their sympathisers”.
Prasad pointed out the success of elections in the “hotbeds of terrorists” like Shopian (with 17 per cent voting), Pulwama (7.4 per cent), Bandipura (51 per cent) and Gandharbal (43.4 per cent).
Prasad said NC chief Farooq Abdullah was elected to the Lok Sabha with only 7 per cent voting in his LS constituency.
“People have voted for the development...the change has been effected following the abrogation of the Article 370 and Prime Minister Modi saying ‘let us go to the people’”, said the Law Minister.
“This is a new beginning that has started with the elections of sarpanchs and now that of DDC... Kashmir is turning a new page”, he claimed.