Muslim women voters undergo verification inside a polling station at Gujjar Nagar in Jammu on 8 October 2018 (Photo by Nitin Kanotra/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
Muslim women voters undergo verification inside a polling station at Gujjar Nagar in Jammu on 8 October 2018 (Photo by Nitin Kanotra/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) 
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Local Body Elections: J&K Votes For ‘Independents’, While BJP Scores High In Jammu 

BySwarajya Staff

After the vote count on Saturday (20 October), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged a clear winner across 100 wards in the urban local body elections of Jammu and Kashmir. BJP secured victory over 312 wards out of 1,144 wards in the state totally. Congress won 267.

According to the results declared by the State Election Commission, BJP gained a stronghold in Jammu region after winning 212 out of the 520 wards. As far as Jammu Municipal Corporation goes, the party won 43 out of 75 wards.

BJP J&K president Ravinder Rana was quoted by The Hindu as saying, “This is the victory of the people as they have reposed their faith in us. We will continue to serve them to the best of our ability.”

The separatists called for a boycott of the elections. National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) did not contest the polls, due to which BJP won 76 seats without facing any contest from others, while the Congress won 78 in Kashmir valley. BJP, however, managed to win four municipal bodies in south Kashmir.

Due to violence, 185 wards remained vacant in the Valley since nominations were not filed. Independent candidates had a joyride as 178 of them won in Kashmir and 185 in Jammu. Srinagar Corporation saw the Congress winning 16 seats, BJP four and the independents 53.

Congress won all the 13 wards in Leh, while the BJP failed to win any in Kargil.