Apni Party bags top posts in 2 DDCs, PAGD gets one

The newly launched party wins in Srinagar, Shopian; CPI(M) bags Kulgam

SRINAGAR: The newly launched Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) led by former finance minister Altaf Bukhari won elections to the post of chairperson in two of the three district development councils (DDCs) on Saturday, officials said.

The elections to the posts of chairperson and vice-chairmen were held in three districts of the Valley — Srinagar, Shopian and Kulgam — in the first phase on Saturday.While Apni Party will head the DDCs in Srinagar and Shopian, the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) – the amalgam of six mainstream political parties – won in Kulgam. In Srinagar, Apni Party candidate Aftab Malik bagged 10 votes, while his rival bagged only three votes, officials said.

Apni Party’s Bilal Ahmad managed to win the vice-chairperson’s post by securing nine votes while his PDP rival Manzoor Ahmad Bhat bagged only four.

BJP’s lone DDC member from Srinagar, Ajaz Hussain, also supported the Apni Party candidates for both posts, they said.

In Shopian district of south Kashmir, Apni Party won both the chairman’s and vice-chairman’s posts. Officials said Apni

Party candidate Bilqees Akhtar polled eight votes, while her rival candidate from PAGD secured six. They said the vice-chairman post was decided through a draw of lots as there was a tie and it was also won by Apni Party.

Apni Party chief Bukhari congratulated the winning candidates. “We are a new party and our politics is based on honesty. I thank the people for showing faith in us,” he said.While the PAGD did not win in the two districts, it had a reason to cheer in Kulgam, also in south Kashmir, where CPI(M) candidate M Afzal was elected the chairperson and National Conference’s Shazia Jan as vice-chairperson.

“Congratulations to Comrade M Afzal of our party, CPIM, for being elected as Kulgam DDC chairperson and to Shazia Jan of National Conference who became vice-chairperson. We thank and appreciate the cooperation of all the elected DDC members of Kulgam for consensus and unanimity,” CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami said.

Apni Party spokesman Javeed Baig said, “Many people are joining us and many leaders are ready to join us in coming days.”

National Conference, however, alleged horse trading. “In both Srinagar and Shopian districts, the elected DDC members of PAGD were forced to vote for the Apni party candidate, which is against ethics of the democracy,” said NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sager.

In both Srinagar and Shopian districts, elected PAGD members were forced to vote for the Apni Party candidate. ALI MOHAMMAD SAGER, NC general secretary