BJP sweeps JMC elections, wins 43 seats in 75-member body
Jammu, Oct 20: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Saturday emerged as a clear winner in the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) elections with 43 seats in its kitty, bettering its previous strength of 25 in the 75-member body.
The Congress suffered a big loss in the election, winning only 14 seats against its 26 in the 2005 civic polls, election officials said. Then it was ruling Jammu and Kashmir in coalition with the PDP.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) along with the National Conference (NC), the CPI(M) and the BSP had boycotted the four-phased Urban Local Bodies elections which were held after a gap of 13 years.
The BJP won 43 seats in the JMC elections, the officials said.
The independent candidates also presented a good show, winning a total of 18 seats in the JMC.
In rest of the 446 wards spread across Jammu region covering a total of 36 municipal committees and councils, the BJP had an edge over its rivals in 15 bodies followed by Independents in 12 and the Congress in five, they said.
The BJP won a total of 169 seats in these bodies followed by independents at 167 and the Congress at 96, the officials said.
They attributed the emergence of independents as a strong force in view of the absence of the NC and the PDP, the key regional parties.
The election in a ward in Ramban was countermanded due to the death of a BJP candidate who suffered a heart attack on the day of polling in the second phase on October 10.
The election in the 521 municipal wards in the 10 districts of Jammu was held in the first three phases of the elections in the state, which concluded on October 16, recording a high voter turnout of 68.4 per cent among the over 6.44 lakh electorate.
Thirteen candidates were elected to different municipal wards unopposed, leaving a total of 2,137 candidates in the fray.
The JMC along with seven municipal committees of Jammu went to polls in the first phase on October 8, registering a turnout of 63.8 per cent.
The counting of votes in the winter capital started at a government polytechnic institute at 9 am. As the results started pouring in, BJP leaders and activists came out to celebrate party's victory.
"This is the victory of the people and they have reposed their faith in us. We will continue to serve the people to the best of our ability," BJP state chief Ravinder Raina said while leading the celebrations at party headquarters here.
He said it was the victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision and efforts to take the country to new heights and the hard work and dedication of party leaders and workers.
The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) failed to open its account in the majority of the wards, including the JMC.
Party chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh alleged rigging and claimed, "It is not the BJP but electronic voting machine (EVM) which won the election for the party."
"EVMs should be replaced with ballot boxes to ensure free and fair polls," he said.
Deepak Gupta, the brother of senior BJP leader Kavinder Gupta, was among the prominent candidates who lost the elections.
However, Rajinder Singh alias Bubby, the brother of senior BJP leader Choudhary Lal Singh, and his wife Vandina Andotra won as independents from Kathua municipal council.
Bubby was in the centre of a controversy in May when a video of him went viral on social media in which he was purportedly abusing former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti during a 'Dogra Swabhiman rally.
The rally was led by the former minister in support of a demand for a CBI probe into the Kathua rape and murder case.
An FIR was registered against Bubby who was later arrested from Rajasthan's Udaipur in June after evading arrest for nearly a month.
In the seven municipal committees of Jammu, the BJP won Akhnoor with 11 seats, while two seats went to Congress. In Bishnah, the BJP won six seats against seven by Independents.
In Arnia, the BJP won seven seats, independents five and Congress one, in R S Pura BJP won nine, Independents three and Congress one, in Ghmanhansan won BJP two, Congress-two, in Khour won BJP nine and Congress four and in Jourian BJP won two, Congress four and independent one, the officials said.
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Punjab CM Mann calls twin blasts 'minor', blames BJP for creating atmosphere of fear
Chandigarh (PTI): Terming the twin blasts in Amritsar and Jalandhar "minor", Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday targeted the BJP and said this was how the party was preparing for the upcoming assembly elections in the state.
Two blasts occurred on Tuesday night, one outside the Border Security Force's Punjab Frontier headquarters in Jalandhar at around 8 pm and another near the army cantonment area in Khasa, Amritsar, at around 11 pm.
The BJP wants to create an atmosphere of fear, Mann told reporters, adding that the party wanted to scare people into getting their votes. "BJP is a communal party. The assembly elections are over in West Bengal, and they (BJP) have said that now it is Punjab's turn, which indicates that these minor blasts are part of their preparation for the Punjab assembly elections," the chief minister said, adding that investigations are underway.
Mann further alleged that the BJP always sought to gain votes by inciting violence and intimidating the public.
"I urge the BJP to cease such tactics. Punjab is a peaceful state. We are the people who always seek the welfare of the world," Mann said while speaking to reporters in Anandpur Sahib after starting his four-day 'Shukrana Yatra' for the implementation of the anti-sacrilege law.
He claimed that the BJP had a penchant for stirring up trouble in states where it is contesting elections.
Noting the significance of the newly enacted anti-sacrilege law -- the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Amendment Act, 2026 -- Mann stated that it counteracts the BJP's efforts to provoke conflict between communities.
"With the anti-sacrilege law in place, no one will engage in sacrilegious acts at their behest," he said, further alleging that the law contradicts the BJP's agenda.
Mann expressed concern regarding the BJP's tactics, saying, "The BJP claims it is ready for Punjab. Are they trying to scare people with these minor blasts to secure votes? Punjab has already experienced dark times in the past."
"This is the BJP's style of working. In every state where it contests elections, it instigates riots, carries out minor blasts, and divides people based on religion and caste. This demonstrates their preparation for Punjab," he further alleged.
Mann also noted that Punjab often plays a significant role whenever the country faces a crisis. He emphasised that peace, along with law and order, will be maintained at all costs.
Later, in a statement, Mann alleged that the bomb blasts in Amritsar and Jalandhar were part of a deliberate strategy to destabilise the state after the passage of the anti-sacrilege law.
Drawing parallels with West Bengal, Mann alleged that the BJP "thrives on creating communal tension, panic and unrest in poll-bound states to polarise voters," but asserted that peace-loving Punjabis would never allow the saffron party to destroy the hard-earned harmony of Punjab for electoral gains.
He further alleged that the BJP was trying to create "unrest" in Punjab on the pattern of West Bengal ahead of elections, but the people of Punjab are politically aware and united against such conspiracies.
"Violence, divisiveness and communal tension are the patent of the BJP and an integral part of the saffron party's politics. BJP is trying to incite violence and fear in Punjab on the pattern of Bengal to win the ensuing polls. However, BJP's nefarious designs will never succeed in Punjab because anything can germinate on the fertile land of Punjab, but seeds of hatred can never grow here," the chief minister claimed.
Condemning the blasts in the state, Mann alleged such incidents reflected the BJP's "brand of politics", aimed at spreading terror and panic to polarise society and garner votes. "This divisive politics is being pursued by the BJP in every poll-bound state for electoral gains," he alleged.
Mann said those responsible for the blasts would soon be exposed and brought to justice. "All those involved in this heinous crime against humanity will be brought to book and put behind bars very soon. Strict punishment will be ensured for these people because the Punjab Government has zero tolerance for any activity that threatens the peace, safety and integrity of Punjab," he said.
In response to a question about the West Bengal assembly elections, Mann mentioned Mamata Banerjee's complaints regarding the looting of the electoral mandate. "The Election Commission is also facing accusations. It should clarify its stance, ensuring it is not one-sided," Mann added.
