NEW DELHI: With the BJP emerging as the single largest party in the District Development Council polls in Jammu and Kashmir, the party claimed on Tuesday that this is a "big win" for it and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
"With win or lead in 75 seats in DDC Elections @BJP4JnK emerges as the single largest party. Gupkar Alliance of 7 parties has 103 seats together. A big win for BJP & the leadership of PM @narendramodi," BJP general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh tweeted.
The Gupkar alliance led by Farooq Abdullah was ahead in the seat tally in the maiden DDC polls in Jammu and Kashmir by winning or leading in 112 seats out of 280 on Tuesday, followed by the BJP which had won 52 seats, including three in the Kashmir Valley for the first time, and was frontrunner in 18.
Santhosh also questioned the alliance's claim that the results are endorsement of its stand against the abrogation of Article 370, wondering what does its loss in nearly 177 seats mean then.
"Is it not an endorsement of abrogation? Democracy & India have won today," Santhosh said.
Union minister Anurag Thakur, who was the BJP's in-charge for the polls, tweeted, "Democracy wins in Jammu & Kashmir! A New Era of Development and Decisive Leadership Dawns!"
On the other hand, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, a key leader of the People's Alliance on Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), termed the results as an eye-opener for the BJP and its "proxy political party", and said people have rejected the decision of revoking the erstwhile state's special status.