Srinagar by-polls: NPP demands re-election, holds Farooq Abdullah responsible for Kashmir's destruction

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India] Apr 15 (ANI): Lashing out at the Srinagar by-polls' result on Saturday, the National Panthers Party (NPP) demanded the elections to be conducted again holding National Conference Chief Farooq Abdullah responsible for the 'destruction' of Jammu and Kashmir. "This is the blackest day in the democracy of the state which is part of India. It is Farooq Abdullah and his son who are responsible for the deaths and destructions in the state. They are destroying the democracy of Jammu and Kashmir," NPP leader Bhim Singh told ANI. He added that the Election Commission (EC) has conducted a fraudulent election and the elections should be declared as sham adding new elections should be conducted. "The Panthers Party has been demanding Governor's rule since eight months after Mufti Sahab's death. This is the fraud committed by the central government, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There is no government in Kashmir, neither any governance," he said. Singh asserted that the elections were not possible at this moment because of growing violence in the state. "People of Kashmir want democracy. Farooq Abdullah has manufactured all the votes," he added. Abdullah won the Srinagar by-polls today, and following his victory announced his demand of the removal of the PDP Government. After completing 13th round of counting, Abdullah bagged 26, 695 votes while the PDP candidate got 17,901 votes. He won the Lok Sabha by-poll defeating the PDP's Nazir Khan. A voter turnout of 7.13 percent was recorded in the re-polling that went on in 38 polling stations of the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat on Thursday. 1.4 percent voter turnout was recorded polling till 12 noon in Budgam where re-polling took place at 38 voting stations. There were nine candidates in the fray, but the main contest was between Abdullah and Nazir Ahmad Khan. Abdullah, 79, had lost the seat to PDP's Tariq Hameed Karra in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The seat fell vacant after Karra resigned from the PDP and the Lok Sabha - he eventually joined the Congress which entered in a pre-poll alliance with the National Conference. The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday announced re-polling on 38 polling stations on April 13. The by-polls of Srinagar Parliamentary constituency were held on April 9 amidst multiple incidences of violence resulting in the killing of seven civilians and injuring many. (ANI)