Waheed Para defeated BJP candidate Sajad Ahmad Raina
PDP youth president Waheed Para, who is in custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for alleged links with terrorists, on Tuesday won the District Development Council (DDC) elections from Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.
Waheed Para defeated BJP candidate Sajad Ahmad Raina.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said she was proud of her party's youth leader who won his "maiden election".
"Couldn't be prouder of PDP's @parawahid who won his maiden election by a huge margin of votes. Despite being arrested on baseless charges right after filing his nomination people have shown their love & trust for Waheed. Hope justice prevails," Mehbooba Mufti wrote on Twitter.
Mr Para was arrested by the NIA on November 25, a few days after he filed his nomination papers as a People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) candidate.
The NIA had said Waheed Para was arrested in connection with the Naveed Babu-Davinder Singh case for supporting Hizbul Mujahideen in conspiracy with the other accused.
Mr Para was considered to be a key motivator for youth to join mainstream politics in Pulwama and adjoining Shopian districts of south Kashmir when terrorism was raising its head there again.
As secretary of Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council from 2016 to 2018, Waheed Para played a major role in organising sporting events in every nook and corner of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state which included the Ladakh region.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)