National Conference sweeps polls in Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference has swept Lok Sabha polls in Kashmir by winning all the three seats.

Former Chief Minister and party president Dr Farooq Abdullah retained the prestigious Srinagar-Budgam Lok Sabha seat while his senior party leader Mohammad Akbar Lone won the Baramulla seat.

Abdullah defeated Peoples Democratic Party candidate Agha Syed Mohsin by a margin of 70,050 votes.

Another party leader Justice Husnain Masoodi, after exchanging leads with Congress's Ghulam Ahmad Mir also emerged victorious from Anantnag Lok Sabha seat.

In the Anantnag parliamentary seat, which is billed as the bastion of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, she managed to finish on the third position.

This will be the fourth term for senior Abdullah in parliament over his political career spanning over four decades.

Abdullah whose central poll plank was safeguarding the special position of Jammu and Kashmir minced no words in upbraiding the policies of Modi during his election campaign.

In 2014 general elections, Abdullah was defeated by Peoples Democratic Party candidate Tariq Hamid Karra--the only time he lost the election.

He,however, retained the seat during the 2017 by polls.

While speaking to media persons at his party headquarters, Abdullah extended his gratitude to his party workers and people of his constituency for their support.

Abdullah said that this parliament would not be easy as they had to fight about a whole host of things.

"We have to fight their intentions of scrapping the article 35 A and 370. We also have to fight to protect our Constitution" Abdullah said.