J&K DDC election results: Gupkar alliance secures control of seven district councils in Kashmir, BJP wins five in Jammu

Both Kashmir and Jammu divisions comprise 10 DDCs each and each DDC has 14 territorial segments for which polls were held in eight phases to elect representatives. A party or an alliance needs to win at least eight of the 14 seats to take control of the DDC.

The seven district councils where the PAGD, an alliance of five regional parties, has secured a clear majority are Kupwara (9/13),  Budgam (10/14), Pulwama (9/14), Anantnag (9/14), Ganderbal (11/14),  Kulgam (12/14) and  Bandipur (7/13),  where counting of one seat was put on hold. PAGD has won seven of the 13 seats which is a majority in Bandipur.

Besides this, the PAGD has won seven of the 14 seats in two other districts councils of Kashmir division-  Baramulla and Shopian where it can go past eight seats with the support of the Congress. The alliance can also stake claim to three other councils in Kishtawar (6/14), Rajauri (6/14) and Ramban (6/14) in Jammu division if it decides to go with the Congress.

The BJP has won Doda (8/14), Udhampur (11/14), Kathua (13/14), Jammu (11/14),  and Samba (13/14) district councils. Though the BJP has not won majority in Reasi by bagging seven of the 14 seats, the two winners of the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) are expected to support it in the council. JKAP is backed by the Centre.

In two councils of Srinagar and Poonch, independents have won the majority mark. Seven of the 14 seats in Srinagar district council have been won by independents. In Jammu division's Poonch council, eight of the 14 seats have been won by independents.

The Jammu and Kashmir state election authority has so far announced the results for 278 of the 280 seats that went to polls. The PAGD has won 110, while the BJP has bagged 75 of them. As part of the PAGD, the NC has won 67 seats, PDP 27, JKPC 8, and the CPIM 5.

The independents have won 50, and the Congress 26 seats, among others. The Centre-backed JKAP has won 12 seats , according to the authority.

The mainstream political parties in the Union territory, including the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), National Conference (NC), Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference (PC), and the Awami National Conference (ANC) contested the polls as part of the alliance making it a tough fight for the BJP. The Congress, an initial signatory of Gupkar declaration decided to contest polls on its own.

The PAGD alliance partners said on December 22 the results proved that they had support of the people and the results were a a referendum against the revocation of Article 370. The BJP, which has emerged as the single-largest party, was jubilant over its performance in Jammu division and making in- roads in Kashmir.

The highlight of the results, however, was that the BJP won three seats in Kashmir division, including one in the summer capital Srinagar. The three wins are the BJP's first-ever victory in an election from any seat in Kashmir division while facing regional heavyweights like the NC and the PDP.

In Jammu, the BJP is on course to win 70 plus of the 140 seats while the Gupkar alliance is winning more than 35. In Kashmir, the regional alliance is winning 75 seats as against the BJP's three.

The eight-phase polls for the 280 constituencies across 20 districts assumed significance as it was the first electoral exercise carried out in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year.

READ: Explained | All you need to know about the first-ever DDC polls in Jammu and Kashmir

The Congress which had among the initial signatories of the Gupkar Declaration contested separately.