THE latest trends in the counting of votes for the District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir indicated that the Farooq Abdullah-led People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) has taken a big lead over the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) even as the counting of votes is underway on Tuesday to determine the fate of 2,178 candidates. According to the latest leads reported for 258 out of 280 segments that went to the polls across J&K, the PAGD is leading on 107 seats while the BJP is ahead on 65 constituencies.

 

 

 

The Congress is leading in 22 seats and has bagged four seats so far. Apni Party is leading on 10 and others on 54 segments. The overall voting percentage in all eight phases across the UT was 51.42 per cent and over 30 lakh votes have been counted. The PAGD is an alliance of Kashmir’s mainstream parties which is fighting the elections jointly to prevent the BJP from making inroads in J&K. The PAGD was floated on October 7 for the reversal of constitutional changes made to Jammu and Kashmir on August 5 last year.