Congress, BJP win two J&K legislative council seats

The Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates on Monday won the two Jammu and Kashmir legislative council seats, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate lost in a surprise development.

Balbir Singh of the Congress won the council seat polling 31 votes. He was supported by the National Conference.

He polled 12 votes of the Congress, 15 of the National Conference (NC) and four votes of Independent legislators.

BJP candidate Vikram Randhawa and PDP candidate Abdul Qayoom Dar polled 29 votes each.

As per the laid down procedure after the BJP and the PDP candidate were tied at 29 each, the winner was decided by draw of lots, in which BJP's Vikram Randhawa won.

The electoral college for the state legislative council, which is the upper house of Jammu and Kahmir's bicameral legislature, comprises members of the state legislative assembly, which has 87 elected members and two nominated members, all of whom are eligible to vote in these elections.

An official announcement about the result is expected shortly in Jammu where votes were cast and counted in the council election on Monday.

--IANS

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