Srinagar/Jammu: The seven-party Gupkar alliance led by Farooq Abdullah was ahead in the seat tally in the maiden District Development Council polls in Jammu and Kashmir by winning or leading in 112 seats out of 280 on Tuesday, followed by the BJP which emerged as the single largest party after winning 73 seats, including three in the Kashmir Valley for the first time.
The People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) has bagged 100 seats and was leading in 12 others, according to data from the Union Territory's Election Commission.
Forty-seven Independents, mainly disgruntled leaders from all political parties, have been declared winners and six more were leading in other seats.
The Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) put up a dismal performance by bagging 11 seats and leading in another. The Congress so far won 22 seats and was leading in five other council seats.
The eight-phase DDC polls, which began on November 28, are the first election after Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 was revoked last year and it was reorganised into a Union Territory. In the election, 140 seats each in the Jammu and Kashmir regions went to polls.
The trends in most seats in the DDC elections were in accordance with expectations — the BJP maintained its strength in the Jammu division while the PAGD, which includes regional heavyweights the National Conference (NC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP), was ahead in Kashmir, besides Pir Panchal and the Chenab Valley regions of Jammu.
"BJP got over 4.5 lakh votes, which is more than the National Conference, PDP and Congress combined. BJP is also the single-largest party. J&K has given a resounding slap to the terrorists, extremists, and separatists," said Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, however, said the results made it clear that the people of Jammu and Kashmir had rejected the Centre's decision to abrogate Article 370 in August last year.
"I understand the temptation to overplay the three seats the BJP has won in the valley but why underplay the 35 wins/leads of the (Gupkar alliance) in Jammu province," Omar Abdullah tweeted.