BJP set to capture 2 more DDCs in Jammu today

PDP, PC have edge in Baramulla, Kupwara

Fayaz Bukhari

JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Feb 7: Election will be held tomorrow for the posts of chairpersons and vice chairpersons in Udhampur and Doda districts in Jammu region and all four posts are set to go to the BJP which enjoyed absolute majority in the District Development Councils (DDCs).
In Udhampur district, BJP’s Lal Chand Bhagat will contest for the post of chairperson and Zuhi Manhas for the post of vice chairperson. The DDC Udhampur is reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs).
The BJP has 11 out of 14 members in Udhampur DDC and, therefore, its candidates will have smooth sailing even in the case of election. The Nationalist Panthers Party (NPP) has two members while there is one Independent.
In Doda district too, the BJP has majority having won eight out of 14 seats.
Prominent BJP leader Dhanantar Singh alias Koushal Kotwal, the DDC member from Bhaderwah, is set to be elected as chairman of the Doda DDC.
The BJP has already won the posts of chairpersons and vice chairpersons in Jammu (SC Reserve) and Kathua DDCs where the elections were held yesterday. The BJP candidates had been elected unanimously in view of majority enjoyed by the party.
Meanwhile, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate who is pitted against wife of former Deputy Chief Minister for the post of chairperson in Baramulla has edge while in Kupwara Peoples Conference candidate has edge over National Conference candidate for the post of District Development Council chairperson the polls for which are being held tomorrow.
The elections for chairpersons and vice-chairpersons for DDC are being held tomorrow in Baramulla and Kupwara districts of North Kashmir.
PDP candidate, Quratul Bashir is pitted against Safeena Baigh, the Independent candidate and wife of former Deputy Chief Minister, Muzaffar Baigh. The PDP, NC, Congress and Apni Party have two DDC members each while Peoples Conference has 3 and three are Independents. There is tough contest and it is not clear who is going to win but the PDP has edge over other candidates.
The Peoples Conference candidate in Kupwara is pitted against NC candidate but the PC candidate has an edge over NC.
The PC has fielded Irfan Panditpuri for the post of chairperson while Haji Farooq has been fielded for the post of vice chairperson. The PC has 5 DDC members, NC 4, four are Independents and Apni Party has one. The result for one of the DDC seats is yet to be announced as counting has been stopped as one of the contesting candidates is a foreign national.
So far in Srinagar and Shopian, Apni Party DDC candidates have been elected as chairpersons and vice-chairpersons while in Kulgam, CPI (M) candidate was elected as chairman and NC candidate as vice chairman.