BJP today said that the victory of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in the assembly bypoll in Anantnag constituency reflected people’s total “rejection” of the “divisive politics” of National Conference and Congress as well as endorsement of the state’s PDP-BJP alliance.
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The returning officer refused to entertain his protest, leading to a ruckus inside the counting centre at Government Degree College, Anantnag and disruption in the vote count. The counting of votes was briefly suspended following protests by the Congress candidate who alleged that EVMs could have been tampered with in the strong room.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehbooba Mufti, who became Chief Minister on April 4, polled 17,700 votes while Congress’ Hilal Ahmad Shah managed only 5,600 votes of the almost 28,500 votes polled on Wednesday amid a boycott called by separatist politicians and militants. “I will not enter the (counting) hall again”, Shah told IANS.
57-year-old Mehbooba is among eight candidates in the bypoll for Anantnag Assembly seat which was necessitated due to death of incumbent MLA and then chief ministre Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7 this year. “They are losing out at places where they had good support”.
“Congratulations to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for the phenomenal victory in the Anantnag assembly by-election”, Modi tweeted soon after the results were out.
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Mehbooba did not contest the 2014 polls as she was already elected to the Lok Sabha from south Kashmir constituency.
