Nine leaders of Gujjar Community have been elected to the 12th Assembly in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Nine Gujjars have been elected to the state Assembly in five phased polls, the results of which were announced yesterday. We compliment all of them", Javaid Rahi, Secretary of the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation (TRCF) said.
"In this election they have made a massive participation in democratic process", Rahi said.
The Gujjar and Bakkarwal community celebrated the victory of their nine leaders who were elected as MLA's in the elections. Those who were elected to the state Assembly this time included seven from Jammu province and two from Kashmir valley.
"This is for the first time five out of seven MLA's elected from Poonch and Rajouri districts are from tribal Gujjar ethnicity", Rahi said.
The Gujjar members who were elected includes Choudhary Javaid Rana of National Conference from Mehndhar (Poonch), Akram Chowdhary of Congress from Surankote (Poonch), Chowdhary Qammar Hussain of PDP from Rajouri, Zulafkar Chowdhary of PDP from Darhal (Rajouri) and Abdul Ghani Kohli of BJP ticket from Kalakote (Rajouri).
The sons of veteran Gujjar leader late Haji Buland Khan Aijaz Ahmed Khan and Mumtaz Ahmad Khan also won with a massive victory from Gool Arnas and Gulab Ghar constituencies on Congress tickets respectively.
The victory of Mian Altaf Ahmad from Kangan in Ganderbal district of Kashmir valley for fifth time is in itself a history apart from victory of Abdul Haq Khan from Kashmir valley.
"A number of Gujjar candidates remained runner up in the election and lost with a narrow margin", Rahi said.
Rahi also said that Gujjars in J&K form third largest population after Kashmiri and Dogra and they are playing a laudable role in democratic process since 1947.
