The overwhelming voter turnout in Paranpillia District Development Council (DDC) segment of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district Thursday turned DDC polls here interesting.
The constituency witnessed 66.63 voter turnout, the highest so far in the five phases of the DDC polls across Kashmir.
The contest here is believed to be directly between the heavyweight Congress candidate TajMohiuddin and the PAGD alliance candidate Showkat Ali Khan.
As per locals, like other elections in the past, DDC polls this time too would be influenced by the caste politics which revolves around Pahari and Gujjar community.
The 66.63 percent voter turnout shows that both communities have overwhelmingly participated in the polls and the result would be close.
Most of the voters here believe that they have cast their vote for the candidate who are likely to work for the betterment of their constituency.
After casting his vote at Girls Middle School Gharkoot Uri polling station, Mushtaq Ahmad said that the area had not been developed as per its potential.
“Uri area is a border town and our issues are different than rest of Kashmir. For the past several decades our important demand of underground safety bunkers has not been fulfilled so far. Under such circumstances, I have voted for a candidate who has potential to safeguard my life,” he said.
The massive turnout of voters here gave the poll day a festive look. The woman voters as well as youth were seen standing in long queue for several hours despite chilling cold.
“In the past we were promised that Uri area will be developed as a model town since the area has gained importance in the wake of opening of trade as well as bus route dividing the two parts of Kashmir. However, model town, apart we have been robbed off our basic amenities. Our vote this time will be purely in favour of a candidate who has urged to do something good for the area,” said Fayaz Ahmad.
Shazia Bano, a woman voter after casting her vote at Government High School Nambla polling station said that she had come to cast her vote with the sole purpose that the condition of roads in her area would be improved.
She said the deteriorating condition of the roads was causing deaths of people as the patients do not reach hospitals in time.
“Even during cross-border shelling, we are unable to shift injured to the hospitals in time due to the pathetic condition of the roads. I voted to see proper connectivity at least with the district headquarters,” she said.