Seat sharing: NC, PDP get lion’s share in first three phases of DDC polls

 

Parties to field 55 candidates from 70 seats finalized in Kashmir so far

 

Gul Owais

 

Srinagar: The National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), major constituents of the recently formed People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) have got lion’s share in seats sharing arrangement for the forthcoming District Development Council (DDC) polls, slated to be held in eight-phases from November 28.

The alliance, comprising of eight parties including NC, PDP, Peoples Conference, JK Peoples Movement (JKPM), CPI (M), ANC, Congress and other small parties had decided to contest the DDC polls in Jammu and Kashmir unitedly and subsequently held series of meetings to finalize the seat-sharing.

The candidates of the alliance will be contesting upcoming DDC polls on their respective party symbols.

The alliance has so far finalized and announced seat–sharing for the three phases in which twin parties including NC and PDP have got major shares.

As per the three lists, the two parties have got 55 DDC constituencies out of 70 finalized so far. The lists state that NC is fielding candidates from 35 constituencies while PDP is fielding 20 candidates in the first three phases.

In the overall seats identified so far by the PAGD, the five parties, part of the alliance including Peoples Conference (PC), CPI (M), Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement (JKPM), Awami National Conference (ANC) and one other have got a chance to field only 15 candidates out of 70 identified for first three phases.

 

If sources are to be believed, the parties part of the alliance had raised questions over the major seat sharing by the NC in the first phase of the polls following which the alliance held a meeting at Dr Farooq Abdullah’s residence on last Sunday and resolved the issues.

They said that after the meeting, PDP was given a good number for the second phase of the polls and other parties too put forth their candidates for the polls.

The major share by the political parties has even forced the party members to file their nomination papers as the independent candidates are now in a fray and contesting as rivals against PAGD candidates in many DDC constituencies, sources said.

Sources said that the other parties who have been given fewer shares so far are disappointed and are raising the issue from time to time with the alliance leadership.

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