New Delhi/Srinagar: Leaving Rahul Gandhi and his team of Congress completely stunned, the BJP almost swept Lok Sabha polls across India paving way for Narendra Modi to lead the country for second term, J&K saw a major shift in politics as people sided with the National Conference by giving them all three Lok Sabha seats of Kashmir.
However, in Jammu, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) retained its position with Dr Jitendera Singha and Jugal Kishore emerging victorious for the second consecutive since 2014 parliamentary polls. Given the trends, along with its allies, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) could end up with 343 of the 542 Lok Sabha seats where polling took place.
Reports said Jubilations’ marked the NC president’s Gupkar residence where NC supporters flooded the laws of Dr Farooq Abdullah’s house with garlands and bouquets. One could spot the smiling face of NC vice president Omar Abdullah who was receiving the party workers with open arms.
Dr Farooq said that he was hopeful that New Delhi and the new dispensation will do justice with the people of Kashmir by understand the ground realities, pain and miseries of people of Kashmir. “I will demand justice for the people of Kashmir,” Dr Farooq said. He bagged almost 125000 polls leaving far behind the PDP candidate Aga Mohsin and Peoples Conference candidate Irfan Reza Ansari.
NC also bagged South Kashmir seat with its candidate Justice Hasnain Masoodi won more than 35,000 votes with Ghulam Ahmed Mir not been able to cross 26000 votes. The PDP chief Mehboboa Mufti didn’t get even 20,000 votes forcing her to admit her defeat on the social media where she wrote: “I accept the people’s verdict with humility. People have every right to express anger against my failings. I felicitate NC candidates for victory.”
In north Kashmir, NC’s Akbar Lone secure more than 129,000 votes marking his victory while as Raja Aijaz Ali of Peoples Conference bagged 122000 votes thereby becoming the second runner up. Interestingly Engineer Rashid, who was fighting independently, bagged 100,000 votes giving tough fight to both NC and PC. PDP candidate Abdul Qayoom Wani didn’t get enough votes as figures suggest that he managed only 52000 votes.
Talking to reporters, Engineer Rashid said that nothing can stop his part, Awami Itehaad Party (AIP’s) march towards becoming a viable alternative to NC, PDP and Congress. In Jammu, the BJP managed to retain both seats with Dr Jitendera Singh and Jugal Kishore marking their win with a huge margin of votes. In Ladakh, BJP candidate Jamyong Tsering Namgyal bagged 41315 votes leaving behind Sajad Hussain, independent candidate who polled 31552 votes and become the runner up.