by Abid Bhat
SRINAGAR: NC patron Dr Farooq Abdullah was finally declared the winner of the Central Kashmir Lok Sabha seat that witnessed the history’s lowest polling on Sunday last. He got 48555 votes as his rival; PDP’s Nazir Ahmad Khan secured 37779 only.
Though the constituency had 12.61 lakh votes, quite a few turned up to vote. The total number of votes polled was only 89885. Of this NC took 54.01%, PDP 42.03% and the remaining seven independent candidates took 2619 votes. Interestingly 932 NOTA votes were counted.
One of the bloodiest poling days of history, April 9, it witnessed eight killings in a single day as protesting youth fought pitched battles with police and paramilitary personnel.
The violence marred low poll led to the deferring of South Kashmir polls slated for Wednesday last. It is now being held on May 25. At the same time, the ECI ordered re-poll on 38 polling stations, mostly in Budgam. It, however, did not offer any major shift as the poll percentage dropped to mere 2%. In fact the number of polls reduced by more than 260 votes.
Interestingly, the repoll in 38 polling stations was much less than votes polled for None Of The Above.
Kangan, the most polled constituency had polled 15186 of which NC got 10024 and PDP 4215. It was retained by the NC in the bye-poll.
Ganderbal polled 9038 of which NC got 4455 and PDP 4204. It is being represented by NC in the assembly and it retained it.
Hazratabal saw 4418 votes of which NC got 2237 and PDP 2032. In assembly it is being represented by PDP but in bye-poll it has slipped to NC.
In Zadibal 3390 people votes of which NC got 1750 and PDP 1506. Though a PDP seat, it has been taken over by the NC.
In Eidgah 400 votes were polled of which NC 295 and PDP 97. NC retained the seat.
From Khanyar assembly seat 2650 votes were polled of which NC got 1828 and PDP 772. NC retained the seat.
In Haba Kadal, 2058 votes were polled of which 1559 went to NC and 451 to PDP. NC retained the seat.
In central Amirakadal 3354 people voted of which NC got 1344 and PDP 1809. This seat is being represented by the PDP which retained it.
Sonawar recorded 4751 votes polled of which 2234 went to NC and 2266 to PDP. Represented by PDP, it has been taken over by the NC.
In Batamaloo total votes polled were 4681 of which NC got 2119 and PDP 2362. PDP retained the seat.
Chadoora polled 835 votes of which NC got 390 and PDP 426. PDP that has traditionally been representing it and it has retained by the party.
In Budgam 11218 votes were polled of which NC got 8697 and PDP 2383. It remained with NC.
From Beerwa 13528 votes were polled of which NC got 6672 and PDP 6442. The seat represented by Omar Abdullah was retained by the party.
In Khan Sahab 10009 votes were polled of which NC got 3169 and PDP 6415. The seat is with Hakim Yasin, an independent lawmaker who was on boycott.
Chrar-e-Sharief saw votes being polled by 3395 votes of which NC got 1597 went to NC and 1696 were polled by PDP. The seat was wrested by PDP last time and seemingly retained.
A total of 974 migrants votes of which 185 went to NC and 703 PDP.
In anticipation of his victory being declared formally, Dr Abdullah spoke to media at his party’s Nawa-ie-Subh headquarters. He demanded imposition of governor’s rule because the state government failed to deliver.
“I want to thank people who voted for me,” Dr Abdullah said. “They have clearly rejected People’s Democratic Party.”
He also appealed president of India to dismiss the state government as it has “failed to deliver”.
“I will secure the Article 370 and my win is dedicated to people of Kashmir. I will also talk to all stakeholders to find a solution for the Kashmir issue,” Abdullah said.
The media interaction witnessed presence of all the NC stalwarts who were seen congratulating Dr Abdullah. The event was also attended by Ghulam Ahmad Mir, the Congress state chief, who is pitted against PDP in South Kashmir which is slated to go to polls on May 25.
With this victory, this will be Dr Abdullah’s third term as Lok Sabha member. He lost his last election for Lok Sabha to Tariq Hameed Karra, now his Congress ally, but Dr Abdullah had earlier been in Parliament in 1980 and 2009.
There were nine candidates in fray. Most of the independent candidates had asked people not to vote in the re-poll saying the Election Commission had not taken them into confidence.
