BJP has never won any assembly seat in Kashmir nor had any lead from any segment | File photo from PTI

In a first, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken a lead in an assembly segment of Kashmir in the parliamentary elections, and this isn't just an ordinary segment, it is Tral.

Tral has been the hometown of poster boys of militancy Burhan Wani and Zakir Musa.

The data collected suggests the BJP candidate for the Anantnag has polled more votes in Tral than the candidates of the parties like the National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and even the Congress.

The area witnessed a near total boycott during these elections.

As per the figures, the BJP polled 323 votes in Tral followed by the National Conference which secured 234 votes, Peoples Democratic Party 220 secured votes, and the Congress 144 votes.

Even as the overall votes for the BJP candidate for the constituency were lower but the party seems to be upbeat.

"It is an indicator of our achievement. Despite all the threats, our cadre came out to vote in some pockets of Tral," Sofi Yusuf, BJP candidate for South Kashmir seat, said.

In total, Sofi Yusuf got 10,225 votes. Out of these 7,789 were migrant and postal ballots. In all the 16 segments of Anantnag seat, he secured only 2,436 votes.

ANANTNAG CONSTITUENCY

Anantnag constituency as a whole saw very low voter percentage during the elections. Many assembly segments witnessed single digit vote percentage.

Tral segment hardly crossed 1 per cent voter turnout as only 1,019 people lined up to cast their votes. Separatist parties had given a boycott call for the elections.

Tral has been the hotbed of militancy with the likes Burhan Wani and Zakir Musa coming from this region.

It has also traditionally been the electoral area of the PDP, but in these elections, neither the PDP nor NC could find much support from the segment.

"Yes, it is possible and it is simple. If the large chunk of the population stays away from the polling, only a few workers or activists who are dedicated to the party will come out, and then it depends on which party had more workers. But overall the Tral area hardly saw anyone going towards polling booth on that day," Umar, a resident of Tral, said.

The BJP has never won any assembly seat in Kashmir nor had any lead from any segment. That is the reason this is something which has left several surprised.

During the PDP-BJP rule the party managed to send two members to the legislative council against the berths reserved for Kashmir Valley in the House.