The Hindu : National : Congress leads in Kashmir civic polls

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 09, 2005

National

National

Congress leads in Kashmir civic polls

By Our Staff Reporter

JAMMU, FEB. 8. The Congress party emerged a clear winner in the fourth phase of the civic elections in the State winning 77 out of 201 wards in Jammu and Kathua districts.

The party won 48 seats in Jammu while in Kathua it took 29 seats. In the counting which continued till late last night, the BJP came second, winning 47 seats with 23 seats in Jammu and 24 in Kathua. Though the People's Democratic Party (PDP) performed well in Jammu district by winning 19 seats, it failed to open its account in Kathua district.

Jammu district has a total of 11 municipal committees while Kathua has six for which polls were held. The Congress and its coalition partner, the PDP, won six municipal committees while the BJP captured the prestigious Basohli municipality.

Besides recording victories in five municipal committees in Jammu district, the Congress emerged as the single largest party in a majority of the civic bodies barring Akhnoor where both the Congress and the BJP secured five seats.

A large number of independent candidates also registered victories. Independent candidates won 22 seats in Jammu and 13 in Kathua. The BSP took six seats in Jammu. The Congress party lostBasolhi and Aknoor, which are the strongholds of Chowdhary Lal Singh and Madan Lal Sharma, MPs. The Congress secured a majority in the border towns of RS Pura, Arnia, Bishnah and Khour municipal committees. The victory of the PDP in Vijaypur came as a surprise.

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