Indian envoy briefs US politicians on 'positive developments' in J-K

Indian ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Wednesday briefed top politicians from the United States on the latest positive developments from Jammu and Kashmir, including the recent successful Block Development Council (BDC) elections.

The ambassador met Republican Senator from Colorado Cory Gardner, Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, Representative Lois Frankel and Democrat Senator from Ohio Sherrod Brown and held talks on India-US strategic partnership, apart from the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Ambassador @harshvshringla met Senator @SenCoryGardner and discussed the US-India strategic partnership and the latest positive developments from Jammu and Kashmir, including the recent successful Block Development Council elections," India in the USA tweeted.

"Ambassador @harshvshringla today met Rep @CongressmanRaja and discussed the US-India strategic relationship. Ambassador also briefed Rep Krishnamoorti about the latest positive developments from Jammu and Kashmir. Ambassador @harshvshringla met Rep.@LoisFrankel and discussed her recent visit to India and the US-India strategic partnership, a follow-up tweet said.

"Ambassador also briefed Rep. Frankel about latest positive developments from Jammu and Kashmir, including the successful Block Development Council elections," another tweet from Indian Embassy in US said.

"Ambassador @harshvshringla met Senator @SenSherrodBrown and discussed the US-India strategic partnership and the latest positive developments from Jammu and Kashmir, including the recent successful Block Development Council elections," it added.

The BDC elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir on October 24 and over 1,080 candidates were in the fray in 310 of 316 blocks.

According to the Election Commission, the BDC elections witnessed a total of 98 per cent voting with cent per cent voting in Srinagar. The lowest voting percentage was witnessed at Pulwama and Shopian at 86 and 85 per cent respectively, said Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shailendra Kumar.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had congratulated Member of Parliaments (MPs) across party lines for the "historic decisions" taken regarding Jammu and Kashmir. In a series of tweets, he lauded how the BDC polls witnessed a turnout of over 98 per cent.

"News that would make every Indian proud! For the first time since 1947, Block Development Council elections were held in Jammu, Kashmir, Leh and Ladakh on the 24th. The polls witnessed a historic turnout of 98 per cent. There were over 1080 candidates in the fray in 310 blocks," Modi tweeted.

The Prime Minister also asserted that the BDC polls in Jammu, Kashmir, Leh and Ladakh were conducted in a "very peaceful manner" and there was no "violence" and "disturbance" in the region.

The BDC polls were the first election held in Jammu and Kashmir after the central government had repealed Article 370 in August that granted special powers to the region and bifurcated the former state into two Union Territories (UTs) -- Jammu and Kashmir with legislature and Ladakh without one.

The new UTs will come into existence on Thursday.

( With inputs from ANI )