“J&K Poll Victory Is A Resounding Slap On Face Of Separatists”: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Jammu and Kashmir have issued a resounding blow to ‘terrorists, militants and separatists,’ Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said today, pointing out the results of local elections in the newly created Union Territory the first elections to be held there in two years. The rise of the BJP as the single largest party, the Minister said, has shown that the people have shown their preference for the “larger narrative” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. None of the parties in the Gupkar

Minister said that the BJP secured 74 seats against the 67 seats of Omar Abdullah’s National Conference, 27 of Mehbooba Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party and 26 of the Congress. The People’s Coalition for the Gupkar Declaration, headed by Farooq Abdullah, secured 110 seats.

“The BJP got over 4.5 lakh votes, which is more than National Conference, PDP and Congress combined,” said Mr. Prasad.

Many of the 39 independent winners had the support of his party, the senior BJP leader said. Independent candidates emerged as major winners in Srinagar.

Although the BJP kept a good display in the Jammu area, Mr. Prasad said that “lotus had bloomed in the Valley as well” In the first, the BJP gained three seats in the Kashmir Valley, including the National Meeting, the PDP and the district pa “The BJP got over 4.5 lakh votes, which is more than National Conference, PDP and Congress combined,” said Mr. Prasad.

Many of the 39 independent winners had the support of his party, the senior BJP leader said. Independent candidates emerged as major winners in Srinagar.

Although the BJP kept a good display in the Jammu area, Mr. Prasad said that “lotus had bloomed in the Valley as well” In a first, the BJP won three seats in Kashmir Valley, where the National Conference, the PDP and the local parties always had a free run. The Gupkar Alliance has won 72 seats in the Valley.

“The voter turnout in Kashmir, especially in places known as ‘hotbeds of terror’, has been much higher than in previous elections, before the scrapping of Article 370,” said Mr Prasad.

“Sopore, Pulwama, Shopian, Gandarbal which you all may know were hotbeds of terror and extremist activity, has come out in large numbers and voted. The people have shown the terrorists what they believe in. They have given a slap to those who propagate terror,” said Mr. Prasad. Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the vote in Kashmir was much higher than in previous polls.

Jammu and Kashmir have issued “resounding slap” to “terrorists, extremists, and separatists” Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said today, referring to the results of local elections in the newly created Union Territory—the first elections held there in two years. The rise of the BJP as the single largest party, the Minister said, has shown that the people have shown their choice.