Independent wins Shopian seat

Shopian , Oct 8: After more than two decades, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)lost the Shopian Assembly seat to an independent candidate, while the National Conference candidate secured victory in the Zainapora seat.

Advocate Shabir Ahmad Kullay, who ran as an independent candidate ,won the Shopian Assembly seat by a margin of 1207 votes.

Kullay, a former National Conference leader secured 14113 votes as against National Conference candidate Sheikh Mohammad Rafi who polled 12906 votes. A total of 11 candidates were in the fray and the first few rounds of the counting sprang surprises for both the voters and local poll observers.

For several rounds, Engineer Rashid led Awami Itihad Party leader Raja Mohammad Waheed and BJP candidate Javed Qadiri took the lead, surpassing both Kullay and Rafi.

“It was an interesting contest. The seat witnessed a back-and-forth battle right till the end,” said Tariq Ahmad, a staunch supporter of Kullay.

The PDP won the seat for the first time in 2002 and retained it through the subsequent elections. In the last Assembly elections, the seat was won by PDP leader Mohammad Yousuf Bhat.

From the Zainapora Assembly segment, senior National Conference leader and former MLC Showkat Hussain Ganie emerged victorious. Ganie secured 28251 votes against his nearest rival Aijaz Ahmad Mir, who bagged a total of 15018 votes.

Mir, a former MLA, left the PDP and contested as an independent candidate. His candidacy was supported by the proscribed Jamaat-e-Islamia.

Previously, the constituency was represented by the former Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and CPI (M) leader Mohammad Kahlil Nayak.

A total of 10 candidates were in the fray and since the beginning of polls a nip and tuck contest was expected between Genie and Mir.