"People Have Spoken, Pay Heed": Omar Abdullah To BJP After Local Polls | Read

The leaders of Farooq Abdullah-led People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration have hailed the people's verdict in the local elections, saying they have given their opinion on the Centre's move to scrap its special status and bifurcate it into two Union Territories. While the counting of votes is still on, trends indicate gains for the seven-party amalgam that was formed to help restore special status of Jammu and Kashmir. As of now, the People's Alliance is ahead in 114 seats, the BJP in 72 seats and the Congress in 26 seats. In Jammu Province, the BJP is ahead in 69 seats while the alliance is likely to win 35 seats. In Kashmir, the regional grouping is leading in a mammoth 79 seats while the BJP is ahead in three. The Gupkar alliance and the Congress are likely to win 13 district councils while the BJP and its allies are set to take six districts. Pointing to the trends, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted to say that the BJP "had made this election a prestige issue about Art 370 & J&K's special status. The people have now spoken & it's for those who believe in democracy to pay heed to these voices".