SRINAGAR: The BJP is taking a lead in the poll campaign for the first-ever District Development Council (DDC) election in Jammu and Kashmir as top party leaders and Union ministers have visited the Union Territory to campaign for the party candidates.
Meanwhile, several Congress leaders have left the J&K Congress to fend for themselves, and top leaders of Gupkar Alliance have stayed away from campaigning.
The 4th phase of DDC elections for 34 seats would be held on Monday amid tight security measures.
Union ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Anurag Thakur, Jitendra Singh, Smriti Irani and Krishan Pal Gujrar have been campaigning for party candidates in the DDC polls.
Besides, senior BJP leaders, including Tarun Chug, who is J&K in-charge of the party, Shahnawaz Hussain, Zafar Islam and Ramesh Bidhuri, have also canvassed for party candidates in both Jammu and Kashmir regions.
Infact, Shahnawaz has been camping in the Valley and campaigning for party candidates in north, central and south Kashmir.
However, unlike the BJP, none of the top Congress leaders has campaigned for party candidates in DDC polls.
The DDC polls assume significance as it is the first major electoral exercise in J&K after the scrapping of Article 370 and bifurcation of J&K state into two Union Territories by the Centre in 2019.
Of the 34 seats going to polls on Monday, 17 seats each are in Kashmir and Jammu regions.
A total of 249 candidates are in the fray. Officials said 7,17,322 electors, including 3,76,797 men and 3,40,525 women, are eligible to cast their vote in the 4th phase.
Top Gupkar leaders stay away from campaign
Abdullahs and Mehbooba have stayed away from the campaigns despite the PAGD contesting the polls to keep “the BJP away”.
The political grouping had initially deciding not to contest the polls. Only the PAGD spokesman Sajjad Gani Lone has participated in campaigns