Kashmir DDC elections: Gupkar Alliance clinches Bandipora seat, loses Baramulla to Independent

SRINAGAR: In a surprise, Gupkar Alliance lost the Baramulla district council seat to an Independent due to cross-voting while the polls for Rajouri and Kishtwar were deferred due to lack of quorum. In the District Development Council (DDC) elections, none of the parties have had a clear majority.

The Gupkar Alliance won the chairman and vice chairman's post in Bandipora DDC. The NC's Abdul Gani Bhat was elected as chairperson and PDP's Kousar Shafeeq as vice-chairperson.

In the 13-member Bandipora DDC, NC won 4 seats, PDP 2, independents 3 while Apni Party, Congress, BJP, J&K Peoples Movement had won one seat each. In Baramulla DDC, the six-party Gupkar Alliance suffered a setback as the chairman's post was won by independent Safina Baig, wife of former PDP patron Muzaffar Hussain Baig.

In Baramulla DDC, which was reserved for women, Peoples Conference and independents had won three seats each while, NC, PDP, Congress and JKAP and won two seats each. Safina, who had got support of two members of JKAP and 3 members of PC, secured 10 votes as against four votes of PDP's Qurat-ul-Bashir.

Due to cross-voting from Gupkar Alliance-Congress camp, Safina secured more votes. Surprisingly, for the vice chairman's post there was no cross-voting as PC's Sonaullah Parray and Independent Irfan Hafiz Lone secured seven votes each and Parray was declared winner after a draw of lots.