Farooq Abdullah wins Srinagar bypoll
THE NC LEADER ALSO DEMANDED IMPOSITION OF GOVERNOR’S RULE IN J&K; TRASHES RUMOURS THAT HE WILL RESIGN FROM LOK SABHA AFTER THE WIN
SRINAGAR: National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah won the crucial Srinagar bypoll on Saturday and immediately demanded the imposition of governor’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir.
Abdullah secured 48,554 votes, while his nearest rival — PDP’s Nazir Ahmad Khan got 37,779 votes, officials said.
Voting for the parliamentary seat was marred by violence as eight youth were killed in clashes with security forces. The constituency had recorded an abysmal 7.13% voter turnout, the lowest ever in its history.
Abdullah said his party was not too ecstatic with his win as the bypolls were the bloodiest elections in Kashmir’s history.
“These were the worst elections in history due to the bloodshed. No doubt I have won but we have lost precious lives, which is why we are not happy with this win,” Abdullah said. He, however, rubbished all retirement rumours.
Abdullah appealed to the Centre and President Pranab Mukherjee to impose governor’s rule in the state as according to him, the current state government had failed to provide a safe and conducive environment for the people to vote. “PDP failed to create a peaceful atmosphere for the voters who wanted to come out and vote. Eight youth lost their lives, thousands were arrested. Governor’s rule needs to be imposed so that people of the state get some relief,’’ he said and thanked the people who risked their lives and came out to vote.
This will be the third Lok Sabha term for the National Conference chief, who had lost his bastion in an upset in the 2014 elections.
National Conference’s victory is seen as a major setback for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the backdrop of the 2016 unrest, in which over 90 civilians lost their lives.
Abdullah’s win also carries significant political implications as the NC had contested the election on an anti-BJP and anti-communalism agenda.
NC had upped the ante against the BJP after the right-wing party announced Yogi Adityanath’s as its Uttar Pradesh chief minister.
During the campaign, NC was also asking people to make their vote a mandate against PDP’s alliance with the BJP. Calling BJP anti-Muslim and anti Kashmir, Abdullah had warned his cadre against rising communal forces in country.