1,2,3 for PDP, Congress, NC

National Conference-Congress alliance in the state Wednesday bagged five seats of the Legislative Council, with seven votes of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) playing crucial role in the victory of the coalition candidates from Jammu. On the other hand opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won one Valley seat, unexpectedly with surplus votes.

The results were announced by the Secretary Legislative Assembly, Muhammad Ramzan, who was also Returning Officer for the polls. NC-Congress alliance won two seats from valley and three from Jammu including the reserve seat for the border district Poonch.

Amid fears of groupism within the Congress playing mischief in its prospect to grab the prestigious seat in Jammu, Yashpaul Khajuria got 30 votes while his rival PDP candidate Bharat Bhushan Gupta, secured 24 votes off which one was rejected, “as it was not marked in proper way”.

National Conference (NC) candidate Master Noor Hussain got 30 votes, while Jehangir Mir, who had got mandate from Poonch constituency, secured 52 votes. Surprisingly BJP (with 11 MLAs in the lower house) candidate Thakur Ranjit Sigh got just four votes, deepening the mystery about members who defied the party whip and cast their votes apparently in favor of the ruling coalition candidates. 

“It is clear now that BJP members have indulged in cross-voting ensuring the win of the coalition candidates. Even for the valley seat, its candidate received one vote short as he secured only ten votes (out of which one was rejected)”, said a source.

According to sources, BJP was well aware of the fact that its candidates which they had fielded for the LC polls have bleak chances of winning and by extending secret support to the coalition candidates, the members have “served their interests in best way”.

In Kashmir valley, NC candidates Bashir Ahmed Veeri and Dharam Bir Singh, both from NC, secured 26 votes each, while PDP candidate Muhammad Ashraf Mir got 25 votes.

BJP candidates Muhammad Maqbool War secured 10 votes but one vote was rejected on the ground that it was not marked properly.

Surprisingly the PDP also got surplus votes in the Valley. Against its total strength of 21, the party candidate got 25 votes. “It is understood that three votes were of NPP but rumors were rife that an NC member has also exercised his franchise in favor of the PDP candidate”, sources revealed.

For the Poonch seat BJP candidate Satish Sassan secured 12 votes, again one ballot was rejected as it was not marked properly. While, Panthers Party candidate Muhammad Saleem was able to secure 24 votes. “Here again PDP-Panthers supported each other as they have done in the past, but failed to secure any of the seats in Jammu”, said a source.

While all the members except MLA Langate Engineer Rashid, who abstained from the polling exercised their franchise, independent MLA Ashwani Sharma did not cast his vote for Kashmir seat. In all 88 members exercised their franchise for Jammu and Poonch seats, while 87 members cast their votes for Kashmir seats.

Later addressing media-persons Secretary Legislative Assembly, Muhammad Ramzan said that election was held in peaceful manner.  “Entire process was conducted in peaceful manner with full cooperation of the members. There was 100 percent transparency and we did not receive any complaints from any of the member”, Ramzan said. He said that the oath-taking ceremony will be held after April 19 and till then elected members would be given time to complete all the formalities.

The polling started at 10 am with Syed Bashir Ahmad of PDP casting the first vote. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah cast his vote at around 11 am.

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