The Farooq Abdullah-led Gupkar Alliance has swept the most number of seats, while the BJP has emerged out to be the single largest majority, in the first major local elections to be held in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, since the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state in 2019.

This was the first time that District Development Council elections for 280 seats were held across 20 districts in Jammu and Kashmir. Most importantly, this is the first exercise of democratic rights for the people of Kashmir, after more than a year of a serious clampdown in the valley.

Out of 278 seats where results have been declared, the 7-party Gupkar Alliance secured 110 seats, interestingly as many 49 seats were bagged by Independent candidates, the Congress party won 26 seats, and as expected, the BJP won most of the Jammu province with 74 seats.

While NC leader and former CM of the erstwhile state Omar Abdullah said the results indicate how the people rejected the centre's decision to revoke Kashmir's special status, the BJP which bagged 3 seats in Kashmir for the first is seeing it as a sign of the lotus blooming in the valley.

But what does this result mean for the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration and the BJP? Does this open up new political avenues in Kashmir? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha

Guests: Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint

Editor: Shelly Walia

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