Cross-voting from Cong or NC as Azad’s nephew loses
Unopposed election in Udhampur, voting in Doda
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 8: The BJP today added two more District Development Councils (DDCs) to its kitty with its candidates winning the posts of chairperson and vice chairperson in Udhampur unanimously and in Doda through voting where its candidates polled nine votes as against five by the Opposition members. There was cross-voting by one of the DDC members either from Congress or National Conference in Doda where BJP got nine votes as against its eight members while Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad’s nephew Nadeem Sharief Niaz lost the election.
BJP leader Lal Chand Bhagat, who has been elected from Udhampur-II constituency and Juhi Manhas, member from Khoon seat, were today unanimously elected as chairpersons and vice chairperson of the District Development Council (DDC) Udhampur.
Deputy Commissioner Udhampur Dr Piyush Singla, who conducted the election, said the proceedings were smooth and peaceful and the election for the post of chairperson and vice chairperson was held unanimously. As there were no other candidates in the fray, Bhagat and Manhas were declared elected unopposed, he added.
Dr Singla said the name of Lal Chand Bhagat was proposed by Mool Raj Bhagat, DDC member from Ramnagar-I and seconded by Rakesh Chander Sharma, DDC member from Ghordi while that of Juhi Manhas was proposed by Pinky Devi, DDC member from Latti and seconded by Ashu Sharma, DDC member from Tikri.
The BJP has 11 members out of a total of 14 in Udhampur DDC which has been reserved for Scheduled Castes. Two members belonged to the National Panthers Party (NPP) while another is an Independent.
Juhi Manhas is wife of BJP’s former MLA from Ramnagar Ranbir Singh Pathania.
In Doda district, BJP’s member from Bhaderwah Dhanantar Singh alias Koushal Kotwal was elected as chairman while Sangeeta Bhagat, who has won Bhalla seat, was elected as vice chairperson.
Dhanantar Singh defeated prominent young Congress leader Nadeem Sharief Niaz son of former Minister late Mohammad Sharief Niaz, who happened to be cousin of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. Singh polled nine votes while Nadeem got five in a House of 14. Nadeem is DDC member from Changa.
BJP young Scheduled Caste leader and MBA from Bengaluru Sangeeta Bhagat, who is DDC member from Bhalla defeated Independent candidate Mehraj Malik with same margin of four votes to win the post of vice chairpersonship of Doda District Development Council. Mehraj is DDC member from Kahara.
The BJP has eight members in Doda DDC followed by four Congress and one each of National Conference and Independent.
Congress, NC and Independent with six votes had joined hands against the BJP and fielded Nadeem Sharief Niaz for the post of chairman and Mehraj Malik (lone Independent) for vice chairman.
However, both Nadeem and Mehraj polled five votes only as against their flock of six while BJP candidates secured nine votes though they have eight members in the DDC which indicated cross-voting by at least one member of Congress or National Conference.
Nadeem told the Excelsior that they are trying to find out the member who voted for the BJP.
“Hopefully, we will find out the man in next few days,” he said.
Soon after the election, BJP chairperson and vice chairperson Dhanantar Singh and Sangeeta Bhagat were taken out in a procession. Both of them pledged to work for development of Doda district. They said they will take all elected members together and sought their cooperation in making Doda a developed district.
Deputy Commissioner Doda Sagar D Doifode conducted the DDC elections for the posts of chairperson and vice chairperson.
Senior BJP leaders from Doda district including former Minister Shakti Raj Parihar, ex MLA Doda, accompanied the winners during the rally. It may by mentioned here that Parihar had contested the DDC election from two constituencies and had been projected by the party as chairman of Doda DDC. However, he lost election from both the seats.
In Udhampur district also, senior BJP leaders were present during election of their DDC members as chairperson and vice chairperson.
With today’s victory in two DDCs, the BJP candidates have won the election for the posts of chairperson and vice chairperson in all four districts where the elections have been held so far. Election was held in Jammu district (Scheduled Caste Reserve) and Kathua district on February 6. The BJP candidates were elected unanimously in Jammu and Kathua as the party enjoyed majority there.
The BJP is all set to capture the posts of chairperson and vice chairperson in Samba and Reasi districts where elections are scheduled for February 10 in third phase.
BJP has 13 out of 14 seats in Samba district and seven out of 14 in Reasi district. In Reasi, the BJP has already got the support of one Independent candidate.
The BJP has decided to field Keshav Sharma for the post of chairman and Balwan Singh for vice chairman in Samba district and Sarf Singh Nag for chairperson and Abdul Rashid for vice chairperson in Reasi district.
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