Jammu, February 13: (KNS)  The elections to the posts of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of District Development Council (DDC) in district Poonch on Saturday witnessed a tough fight between BJP and Apni Party backed candidates.

Sources told "Kashmir News Service" (KNS) correspondent from Poonch, that BJP supported independent DDC member Tanzeem Akhter from territorial constituency Sathra Poonch for the post of Chairperson who bagged eight votes and was declared as the winner defeating Apni Party backed Nazia Gani DDC member from Nagali Sahib Poonch.

Similarly, Apni Party backed independent DDC member Er Mohammad Ishfaq, from territorial constituency Mendhar-C  won the post of Vice Chairperson with nine votes defeating BJP backed candidate Wajid Bashir DDC Member from Mendhar-B.

Surprisingly, six members of the important Constituents of Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) supported the BJP backed independent candidate who was elected for the post of Chairperson.

Pertinently, National Conference has two DDC members while the Congress has four DDC members in Poonch district.   “Both NC and Congress members supported the BJP backed independent candidate for the post of chairperson,” sources revealed.

A political observer while talking to KNS said that elections to the posts of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson in district Poonch have exposed the PAGD constituents who superficially claim to be opposing the BJP for abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A.

“While the PAGD blames Apni Party for being the BJP’s B-Team, the DDC elections in Poonch district have exposed NC and Congress for their naked affiliations with the BJP,” a political observer told KNS, pleading anonymity.(KNS)