Democracy undermined in a gambit to capture DDCs: NC

Srinagar, 8 Feb: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Sunday accused the ruling BJP ‘and its ilk’ for undermining democracy by ‘resorting to illicit means to capture power in District Development Council elections.’

The BJP and its ilk is unabashedly undermining all norms in the elections to DDC chairpersons and deputy chairpersons, said Party’s Spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar while expressing dismay over the nose diving of democratic norms and set rules in DDC council elections.

Ruing the impartiality of the administration and the laidback attitude of CEC, he stated that the way administration was playing partisan to curry favor with the ruling party and their stooges has also raised a question mark on the partiality of the entire process.

He said these parties having failed to make any mark on the recently concluded DDC elections are now employing different means to make up the numbers with little understanding of the long term consequences on the prospects of democracy in the region. “Through DDC elections, the people of J&K had conveyed a message. The BJP and its ilk are unfortunately making a gaffe in reading it. In a curious turn of events it is nose diving to the lowest ebb of political impropriety in a gambit to grab power in DDCs using whatever means to achieve that end. The rampant instances of defection , and crossovers using coercion, intimidation and bullying post DDC elections in Shopian, Srinagar, Budgam and elsewhere in Jammu and Kashmir is a telling indictment of the BJP’s brand of politics. BJP is wittingly helping political impropriety and opportunism take roots. This, I believe is not compatible with the country’s democratic moorings and certainly not in greater interests of a region like that of ours,” he said

“Defections and crossovers have become a new normal in this part of the world. The region has turned into a breeding ground of such a breed of politics nurtured by ruling BJP. In the long run the current phenomenon will have a formidable bearing on the nature of electoral politics in Kashmir. The pest of defection has been a prominent feature of BJPs new touted Kashmir policy. Having failed to garner support through genuine electoral process, the BJP is touching new lows on a daily basis to help its team B,” he said.

He said the scenario unleashed by the ruling BJP tantamount to robbing the mandate of people.