Civic polls: BJP wins 212 of 520 seats in Jammu, big victory for Congress in Valley

JAMMU/ SRINAGAR: The BJP on Saturday tallied on top with 212 out of 520 urban local body seats across the Jammu region, comprising 10 districts. In Kashmir Valley, Congress emerged as the largest winning party with 157 out of 624 seats and the party fared relatively well in Ladakh division too.

As per the results declared on Saturday, in Jammu region, independents won 185 seats, the second-highest, followed by Congress (110) and J&K National Panthers Party (13). Mainstream political parties National Conference and PDP had boycotted elections to protest against what they called were attempts by the central government to repeal Article 35-A of Constitution, which grants special status to J&K.

BJP claimed 92 out of 154 ULB seats in Jammu district, 23 out of 63 in Rajouri, 13 out of 26 in Reasi and 34 out of 80 in Kathua. In other districts, the party didn’t fare so well.

In some parts of Jammu, especially in its bastion old city, the saffron party got some shock from independents mainly because of dissidence within the party over denial of tickets. Congress got 28 in Jammu district. BJP won a majority 43 seats in the 75-ward Jammu Municipal Corporation. Independents and Congress here bagged 18 and 14 wards, respectively.

PM Modi said his party will work hard to fulfil the aspirations of the people. “These results are a reflection of aspiration of people of J&K, who want to move away from politics of strife towards Modi’s politics of development,” BJP president Amit Shah tweeted.