J&K DDC poll results: PAGD leads in 80, BJP 47, Congress 22

As counting for maiden district development council (DDC) polls to decide the fate of 2,178 candidates started in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, the trends show the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) leading in 80 followed by the BJP in 47 and Congress in 22 seats.

The counting for all 280 DDC constituencies – 14 each in all 20 districts of the Union Territory (UT) - began at 9 am at all district headquarters across J&K. The polling was held from November 28 to December 19 in eight phases with 51% voters exercising their franchise in the elections, which were largely peaceful.

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Awami National Conference - which was formed on October 15 to work towards restoring the special status of J&K which was revoked last August.

The Congress was initially a part of the PAGD but distanced itself from the alliance as the BJP targeted the opposition party for being in league with the ‘anti-national Gupkar Gang.’

The DDC polls mark the Centre’s first attempt at restoring democratic processes in the region, following the revocation of its special status and bifurcation in August 2019. In the absence of an elected government in the UT, these Councils are set to become a new unit of governance in Jammu and Kashmir.

J&K has been under the central rule since June 2018 when the BJP pulled out of the alliance government with the PDP. The special status of the erstwhile state under Article 370 was revoked in August 2019 by the Parliament and it was bifurcated into the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.