Narendra Modi lauds 'faith in democracy' after BJP manages win in 81 of 307 blocks in Jammu and Kashmir, hails 98% turnout in BDC polls

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated all candidates who emerged victorious in the Jammu and Kashmir Block Development Council (BDC) election and claimed that Centre’s decision on 5 August to revoke special status under Article 370 was the reason behind the state’s “historic turnout” of 98 percent. The prime minister’s greeting message to “young and dynamic representatives” came on Twitter after the BJP’s high-pitched rallying call over Article 370 abrogation failed it from receiving a desired result in BDC polls.

Thanks to the decisions of the Indian Parliament, young and dynamic representatives will shape the destiny of the people of all regions of Jammu and Kashmir.

I once again congratulate MPs across Party lines for the historic decisions on J&K.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 25, 2019

Wishing the MPs across party lines for the “historic decision” on the state, Modi said, “Thanks to the decisions of the Indian Parliament, young and dynamic representatives will shape the destiny of the people of all regions of Jammu and Kashmir.” [caption id=“attachment_7503241” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PTI[/caption] He also lauded the “exceptional enthusiasm” of people of the state, which saw a turnout of 98 percent without any major untoward incidents being reported. Modi in a series of tweets said that he was “delighted” that the polls in Jammu, Kashmir, Leh and Ladakh were conducted in a very peaceful manner which shows the “people’s unwavering faith in democracy and the importance they accord to grassroots level governance.” “This marks the dawn of a new and youthful leadership across the regions, which will make a monumental contribution to national progress in the times to come,” the prime minister said. Addressing a press conference on Thursday evening in Srinagar, Shailendra Kumar, Chief Electoral Officer, Jammu and Kashmir said that out of the total 307 blocks, Independents had won in 217 blocks, whereas BJP gained victory in 81 blocks. “One block was won by Congress and eight blocks went to Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party,” said Kumar. In the indirect election, which is conducted through voting by an electoral college comprising panchs and sarpanchs, Srinagar district witnessed highest polling with 100 percent turnout. The lowest polling was registered in south Kashmir’s Shopian district with 85.3 panchs and sarpanchs turning up for voting. On Thursday, e lections were held in 280 blocks of Jammu and Kashmir . When the election for BDCs was announced in September, the state government had said that the elections will take place on 316 blocks in total. However, once the nomination papers were submitted by candidates, 27 candidates – 24 of them in Kashmir valley - were declared as winners unopposed. Of the remaining ten blocks which didn’t witness polls, six didn’t have any candidates. Meanwhile, the state unit of Congress on Wednesday accused the BJP of making a “mockery of democracy” by “forcing” the main Opposition parties to stay away from the electoral exercise. The Congress along with the main regional parties — the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party — have boycotted the BDC polls citing indifferent attitude of the state administration and continued detention of the party leaders in the Valley.