Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 7: Leaderships of two constituents of Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD)- National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are finding it difficult to keep their flocks together as elected members of these two parties are not against supporting candidates of J&K Apni Party in electing chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of District Development Councils (DDCs).
Reliable sources told The Early Times that many DDC members of these two parties have no communications with the leadership as they are in talks with the Apni Party. “Due to lack of coordination among constituents of PAGD, many elected members of the conglomeration have opened channel of communication with Apni Party'', sources said and added that besides roping in independents, Apni Party is also in-touch with many DDC members of NC Omar alleges buying of elected representatives
Instead of checking cross voting by members of his own party, National Conference vice president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah shifted blame on the government for defeat of PAGD in Shopian DDC.
“Shopian DDC election, even Srinagar for that matter, aren't really a surprise. These people have been buying & selling elected representatives since 1984. Practice makes perfect!”, Omar tweeted.
He also retweeted a tweet of party's spokesperson who had tweeted, “King's party which won only 2 DDC seats in Shopian distt, engineered defections post elections and are now heading the DDC Council there. Similarly in Srinagar, the party won just 3 seats and managed to take control of the district. Is ko bolte hai democracy is aisi ki taisi”.
During elections of the chairperson and vice-chairperson of DDC of Shopian district, NC member supported the Apni Party resulting in victory of party candidates. “Shopian elections have added worries to both NC and PDP as there is fear that some party members would cross vote in favour of the Apni Party in remaining DDCs”.
Before the beginning of the elections of Shopain DDC, both PAGD and Apni Party had support of seven members each, however, one among PAGD members voted in favour of the Apni Party. It was all due to this cross-voting that Apni Party won Shopian DDC.
In Shopian out of the 14 seats, four seats each were bagged by National Conference (NC) and Independent candidates while PDP, JKAP and Congress secured three, two and one seat respectively. Despite having seven members, NC and PDP could not keep their flock together. | 