Democracy restored in J&K due to PM Modi, Shah: Jammu Mayor

Jammu, Dec 24 : In the first democratic exercise after the abrogation of Article 370, the Mayor of Jammu Chander Mohan Gupta spoke to IANS about the successful completion of the recent District Development Council elections in the Union territory of Jammu & Kashmir.
Q: Mr Mayor, how important do you think were the DDC elections in Jammu & and Kashmir, particularly being the first democratic exercise after the abrogation of Article 370? A: Well every election is important. Fourteen general elections have been conducted in the country in the last 72 years, however, Jammu & Kashmir has been a state where only 4 local body elections were conducted. The previous state governments didn’t want to conduct local body elections and local leadership to emerge. However, it’s because of the efforts of our honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah that these elections were conducted.
Prime Minister Modi had said at Delhi’s Red Fort that elections will be held in J&K for local body councils. And he delivered what he had said. If these elections were conducted in the past, J&K would have been militancy-free, with less unemployment. Mehbooba Mufti had said that her party won’t contest elections until 370 is restored, then why did her party contest at all? She should at least take a firm stand. If there is democracy restored in J&K today, it is because of the Prime Minister and Home Minister Amit Shah.
Q: You spoke about Mehbooba Mufti and her party, People’s Democratic Party, which has been restricted to only 27 seats, whereas 50 independent candidates have emerged victorious. Do you think this is a message to PDP and the general public is looking beyond the old order and giving chance to independent leaders? A: People in today’s times like getting work done in their constituencies. If people realise that the new leaders are worthy, then they will definitely give them the chance they deserve. Parties like PDP have been running Pakistan’s agenda and that was the reason people rejected them, particularly in the Kashmir division.