Arrested by NIA for alleged terror links, PDP youth president wins DDC polls

Regional youth president of People Democratic Party (PDP) Waheed Parra, who was arrested by the NIA last month for alleged links with militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, on Tuesday, emerged victorious from south Kashmir’s Pulwama-A District Development Council (DDC) seat.

Parra, who was the joint candidate of the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), polled 1322 votes while his nearest rival Sajad Raina of the BJP got 314 votes. Parra was arrested by the NIA on November 25 and is currently under judicial custody.

Parra is considered to be among the close associates of the PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and is among the leaders who remained loyal to her in the last two years during which most of the high-profile leaders left the regional party.

Hailing from the restive Pulwama district, he is considered as one of the leaders, who had contacts with separatists when the PDP was in power from 2015 to 2018.

The PAGD is an alliance of seven parties - National Conference (NC), PDP, CPI, CPM, People's Conference, People's Movement, and Awami National Conference - which was formed on October 15 to work towards restoring the special status of J&K which was revoked last August.