New Delhi, December 26: The Jammu and Kashmir Administration has planned a Monday swearing-in for the newly elected members of the District Development Councils even as the race to form the council governing structures intensifies.
The Tribune has learnt that the administration has sounded off deputy commissioners to be ready for the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected DDC members on December 28.
The charges of horse trading flew thick and fast today amid independent candidates emerging kingmakers in three Kashmir districts, including Shopian, where four independents have won.
The National Conference vice-president, Omar Abdullah, launched a scathing attack on the J&K Administration on Friday, accusing them of facilitating horse trading.
He said the ruling BJP’s claim that the democracy had won in J&K was a sham, as candidates of the winning alliance were being coerced into supporting the BJP and its “subsidiary J&K Apni Party in the Valley.”
“Shame on this administration for playing partisan politics to curry favour with the ruling party and their stooges. These parties couldn’t win seats so now they are using money, muscle, threats and government coercion to make up the numbers. So much for “democracy has won”!,” Omar Abdullah said today.He also took to Twitter to post the photograph of Yasmeen Jan, who won from Imamsahib in Shopian on a National Conference ticket, but joined the Apni Party today.
“This picture explains why our leaders in Shopian district are being put under preventive arrest by the police. The J&K Police and the administration are facilitating horse trading and defections. The woman shown here in this picture joining the BJP’s B-team contested and won elections on an NC mandate,” said Omar.
The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration has a clear majority in six districts of the Valley while Srinagar is likely to go to J&K Apni Party, which has won three seats but might muster the support of seven independents to get a majority among 14 seats.
In Shopian, Bandipur and Baramulla, independents are key, plus PAGD constituents, including the NC, are now alleging that their winning candidates are being forced to “cross over” to benefit the J&K Apni Party. (The Tribune)
