Sajad Lone’s party to lead Kupwara DDC, Independent in Budgam

Srinagar: The Sajad Lone-led Peoples Conference (PC) will head the District Development Council (DDC) in Kupwara while an Independent candidate will do so in Budgam. Three district councils have so far elected their chairpersons and none of them have come from the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), an amalgam of political parties formed for the restoration of special status of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state.
PC’s Irfan Panditpori and Independent Nazir Ahmad were administered their oath as DDC chairpersons by the respective district heads on Monday. The PC, which has cut its ties with the PAGD, managed to win the chairperson election with the support of its five elected members and four independents. The party in return supported an independent candidate, Haji Farooq Mir, to become the vice-chairperson of DDC Kupwara. The heads were elected in absence of all the four members of the PAGD among the total elected 13 members.
At Budgam, a tie between the contesting chairman candidates Nazir Ahmad Khan and Abdul Ahad Dar led to a draw of lots to decide the head of the council. Nazir Ahmad Khan won the draw and was elected as Chairman DDC Budgam. Nazir Ahmad Jahara was declared as winner of the vice-chairperson post by securing 9 votes against Nisar Ahmad Sheikh, who got only 5 votes. None of them is at present affiliated with any political party and had contested the DDC election independently. Earlier, though, Nazir Khan was affiliated with the Congress.
A day ago, the Altaf Bukhari-led Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party had managed to win the chairperson posts in Srinagar and Shopian DDCs with the help of Independents. The party’s candidates were elected to the posts of both chairperson and vice-chairperson in both the districts.
Bukhari’s party had contested the DDC elections against the PAGD while Sajad Lone’s party had contested as part of PAGD. Despite having only three seats in Srinagar and two in Shopian, out of 14 in each district, Apni Party managed to win the chairperson’s seats in both districts.
There are still 25 districts where the chairpersons and vice-chairpersons are yet to be elected. It seems there are many surprises in store.

Reader correspondent