SRINAGAR: Peoples Conference Chairman, Sajad Gani Lone is being seen as a dark horse after voters delivered another hung assembly.
Lone won just two seats in North Kashmir, Handwara and Kupwara.
Lone won from Handwara while his nominee Bashir Ahmad won neighbouring Kupwara, both traditional strongholds of Peoples Conference.
Lone hogged limelight after he called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the assembly elections and described him as his elder brother.
Lone’s meeting with Modi, projected as an act of betrayal by some elements in separatist camp, became his biggest electoral advantage in Handwara.
Lone after winning the seats visited scores of areas in North Kashmir and thanked people for the support. He also assured people peace and development during his tenure as the representative of the area. He also hailed the courage of youth who went ahead in voting for his party during the state elections of 2014.
Lone said: “Mine is a small party and I have no decisive role in anything. Kindly don’t think I am some kind of a game changer.”
Lone’s father and senior resistance leader Abdul Gani Lone was assassinated at Srinagar in a rally on May 21, 2002.
Before the counting of the votes began, Lone had told reporters that he would like to participate in the government formation irrespective of which party comes close to majority.
His victory has a subliminal message to the separatists, who had been damning him for contesting elections after dumping separatist politics.
With a hung assembly, Lone’s proximity to the BJP can help if the latter tries to form a government with the National Conference.
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