Civic poll: PDP-Cong sweeps south Kashmir

The People's Democratic Party-Congress combine swept the south Kashmir civic polls on Sunday arresting the opposition National Conference's march.

The NC won the Srinagar civic elections by a landslide last Wednesday.

When reports last came in, the PDP had won 54 seats, the Congress 26, and the regional NC had won only 16 seats in the south Kashmir districts of Anantnag and Pulwama.

The final tally was yet to come in.

Ignoring militant threats and poll boycott calls by separatists, a significant 44 per cent voters cast their franchise.

Tight security was in place and no untoward incidents were reported.

The Pandits: Dole and despair

The polling began on a dull note in chilly and damp weather but picked up as the day wore on with Pulwama recording 55 percent turnout and Anantnag 33.89 percent at the end of the day, giving a combined poll percentage of 44 per cent in the two districts, an official spokesman said.

He said Qazigund and Dooru in Anantnag registered the highest turnout of 76.88 And 65.99 per cent, respectively.

However, Bijbehara, the home town of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and militancy-infested Kulgam had registered 32.21 and 37 percent turnout respectively, he said.

Anantnag recorded the lowest turnout of 23.52 percent.

Also read:

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NC sweeps Srinagar civic polls

WITH PTI INPUTS.