Bushan, Col Maan, Suraj, Raghunandan get top posts
4 Distts in next two phases set to go to BJP
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 6: As expected, the BJP today won chairmanship of the two District Development Councils (DDCs) of Jammu and Kathua, the elections for which were held in first out of four phases and is poised to capture Udhampur and Doda which will go to votes in second phase on February 8 and Samba and Reasi which will have polling on February 10.
BJP DDC member from Bhalwal and former MLA from Raipur Domana Bharat Bushan was elected unopposed as chairman of the first DDC of Jammu district, which has been reserved for Scheduled Castes by the State Election Commission.
Suraj Singh, DDC member from Khour, was elected unopposed as vice chairman of Jammu DDC.
Significantly, Independent DDC member from Suchetgarh Taranjit Singh Tony proposed the names of Bharat Bushan and Suraj Singh for the post of chairperson and vice chairperson. The name of Bushan was seconded by Dharminder Kumar, BJP member from Bishnah.
The BJP has majority in Jammu DDC with 11 out of 14 seats while there were two Independents including Tony and a BJP rebel from Marh and there is woman member of National Conference, who had won from Dansal ST woman reserved seat.
Though Tony is known critic of the BJP, he justified the move of proposing names of the BJP members for chairman and vice chairman of Jammu DDC.
“In the DDC, we will work like a family. All of us want development of rural areas which is above any kind of politics. In view of this, I proposed names of the BJP members for the top posts,” Tony told the Excelsior.
Bharat Bushan was first elected as MLA from Raipur Domana Reserve constituency in 2008. However, in 2014 Assembly elections, he was denied party mandate along with six other former MLAs for their involvement in much publicized cross-voting in 2011 MLC elections in favour of National Conference. Bushan was fielded in the DDC elections by the BJP from Open seat of Bhalwal. Prof Gharu Bhagat, who was among the seven former MLAs, who were denied ticket in 2014, was also given mandate in the DDC polls and has won from RS Pura reserve seat.
Results were announced this afternoon by Deputy Commissioner Jammu Sushma Chauhan.
In Kathua, Col (Retired) Maan Singh and Raghunandan Singh Babloo were elected unopposed as chairman and vice chairman of the District Development Council.
Election results were announced by Deputy Commissioner Kathua OP Bhagat.
Name of Col Maan Singh was proposed by BJP member Karan Singh and seconded by Vikram Singh while that of Babloo was proposed by Narayan Dutt and seconded by Rimpy Charak.
Col Maan Singh had won the DDC election from Basohli, the home turf of two-time Lok Sabha member and Dogra Swabhiman Front leader Choudhary Lal Singh while Babloo had defeated former MLA Charanjit Singh Jasrotia, who was contesting the election as an Independent after being denied mandate by the BJP, on Kathua seat.
The BJP has 13 out of 14 seats in Kathua DDC. Lone Opposition member is from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
BJP vice president and Incharge Kathua Yudhvir Sethi monitored the election process.
Next phase of elections for the posts of chairpersons and vice chairpersons of the DDCs is scheduled for Udhampur and Doda districts on February 8, Samba and Reasi districts on February 10 and Kishtwar, Ramban and Poonch districts on February 13.
The BJP is going to sweep next two phases as well as it commands majority in all four districts including Udhampur, Doda, Samba and Reasi and will get its chairpersons and vice chairpersons elected.
The BJP has already finalized names of chairpersons for these four districts including Lal Chand Bhagat for Udhampur (SC Reserved), Dhanantar Singh alias Koushal Kotwal (Doda), Sarf Singh Nag (Reasi) and Keshav Sharma (Samba).
Hectic political activity is, however, on in Kishtwar, Poonch, Rajouri and Ramban districts, which will go to polls in last phase on February 13. Kishtwar and Ramban districts are reserved for women while Poonch district has been reserved for ST woman and Rajouri for ST category.
As already reported, the National Conference has decided to field Dr Shamshad Shan for the post of chairpersonship in Ramban district where it has six members and has entered into tie-up with Congress which has two members.
In Kishtwar district, where NC has six members and support of two Independents, it will field Pooja Thakur for the post of chairpersonship.
In Poonch district, which is reserved for ST woman, there are three eligible candidates including one Independent and two from Congress. However, the Independents have majority having won eight seats followed by Congress four and National Conference two. Efforts were on to forge unity among the Independents.
In Rajouri district reserved for ST, NC has five seats while BJP and Congress have three each and Apni Party, PDP and Independent one each.
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