PAGD wins in Anantnag

So far, PAGD has won in four districts, Apni Party in 2 districts, PC and Independents in one district each

SRINAGAR: The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) won the election for the post of chairperson and deputy chairperson of the district development council (DDC) in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Thursday.

National Conference’s Yusuf Gorsi was elected as chairperson while People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) Javeed Ahmad, an advocate, was elected deputy chairperson. Fourteen elected members had participated in the polls.

So far, PAGD, which is an amalgam of parties seeking restoration of the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, has won in four districts — Kulgam, Pulwama, Ganderbal and Anantnag.

The newly formed Apni Party led by Altaf Bukhari has won in two districts —Shopian and Srinagar, while Sajjad Lone’s People’s Conference, which recently parted ways from the PAGD, won from north Kashmir’s Kupwara district. Independent candidates had won in Budgam.

Polls of DDC chairperson and deputy chairperson for Baramulla and Bandipore will be held on Saturday. Elections in Baramulla were postponed on February 8 after PAGD members did not turn up for the voting.

Earlier, the NC had termed polls for chairperson in Shopian and Srinagar ‘a mockery of the system’.

“Shopian DDC election, even Srinagar for that matter, aren’t really a surprise. These people have been buying & selling elected representatives since 1984. Practice makes perfect!,” NC vice president Omar Abdullah had tweeted soon after the results were declared.

NC’S YUSUF GORSI WAS ELECTED CHAIRPERSON WHILE PDP’S JAVEED AHMAD BECAME HIS DEPUTY