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“Achhe din aane waale hain,” Sajjad Gani Lone said in jest to the jubilant supporters with a curt smile, who swarmed this town soon after his win was announced.
“This constituency was being watched by whole India; you have given me your confidence and I stand committed to fulfil all promises I have made to you,” he said as people waved and chanted slogans.
Lone had put up at his home in the border town, where the counting centre for the constituency was set-up. After he was declared winner, thousands of people took him in a procession to Boen Bagh (Chinar Garden) of Handwara where he made his first speech after becoming MLA.
He defeated his close rival Muhammad Ramzan Chowdhry of National Conference, who was minister in the outgoing government.
Hinting towards Chowdhry’s perceived ‘revenge politics’ Lone assured people that he will not “make arbitrary transfers of government employees or get selected youth of rival parties out from the selections lists (in government jobs).”
“Those who didn’t vote for me, including supporters of the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party are our brothers; I will change the politics of revenge with inclusive development of people,” he said.
Lone’s party the People Conference won two seats. Besides Lone, PC candidate from Kupwara Bashir Ahmad Dar defeated NC’s Saifullah Mir, law minister in the previous government.
He assured people that Handwara will get the medical college, expressway and all that he has promised. Pertinently, in his much-debated meeting with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lone had demanded Srinagar-Kupwara expressway and medical college for his home district. After his half an hour address to the victory rally in Handwara town, Lone left in a motorcade procession to Kupwara district town where his supporters were waiting his arrival to celebrate Dar’s win.