PDP gets 1 against BJP’s 3, Pawan jolts BJP
Jammu: With BJP virtually denying conceding one seat to its ally PDP in Jammu the cracks in ruling PDP-BJP coalition have come out open in the council elections for two seats held on Monday in Jammu legislature complex.
As the PDP had conceded one council seat to BJP’s G.L.Raina from valley, the BJP on its part was bound to concede one seat to PDP from Jammu province which it virtually did not.
Reports said the PDP candidate Abdul Quayoom Dar and BJP candidate Vikram Randawa secured 29 votes each, the BJP in breach of the seat sharing agreement refused to offer PDP candidate two extra votes which would help him to qualify for election to the legislative council.
As PDP and BJP candidates secured 29 votes each, the election authorities choose to decide the fate of candidate through draw of lots as mandated by the relevant rules of the election procedures and interestingly BJP candidate was declared elected through of lots.
In election for yet another council seat, the Congress candidate Balbeer Singh backed by National Conference was declared elected as he got the support of four unattached members including Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen Chairman Peoples’ Democratic Front, M.Y Tarigami CPI(M) State Secretary, Er Rasheed MLA Langate and Pawan Gupta MLA Udhampur.
Jolt for the BJP was the support of Pawan Gupta to Congress candidate as Gupta was till recently backing BJP but in today’s election he virtually switched over to the opposition camp and backed Congress candidate. (KNS)
