Kashmir votes with BJP eyeing power

Polling ended peacefully yesterday in 15 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir that voted in the first phase of the five-phase assembly elections, officials said.
“No major incident of violence has been reported from anywhere,” a poll official told IANS in Jammu. Over 65 percent turnout was recorded.
Election commission officials, however, said the percentage was likely to change as the final figures were yet to be received. In the 2008 Assembly elections, an average of over 60 per cent polling was witnessed.
The situation across the state has been by and large peaceful so far, barring couple of stray incidents of violence in Ganderbal and Bandipora districts.
Suspected militants hurled grenades at two polling stations in Nowpora area of Bandipora and Naidkhai area of Sonawari but there was no damage done in the explosions.
In Barsoo area of Ganderbal, PDP supporters clashed with National Conference supporters, resulting in minor injuries to one person.
Twelve sitting MLAs, including 7 ministers, are among 123 candidates trying their luck in the 15 constituencies where polling in underway in all three regions of the state.
A total of 10,502,50 voters, including 5,49,698 men and 5,00,539 women, besides 13 transgenders are eligible to exercise their right to franchise in the first phase of the polls. Separatist groups like all factions of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF have called for a boycott of the polls.