Kashmir's old parties won a majority but lost control of district councils to new outfit. Here’s why The newly-formed Apni Party won only 12 of the 280 seats but now controls two of the 20 district councils. Feb 16, 2021 · 06:30 am Mehbooba Mufti (left) and Omar Abdullah (right) abandoned their political rivalry to form the Gupkar Alliance in 2020. | AFP/ Reuters In December, when the results of the first ever direct elections held in Jammu and Kashmir after its reorganisation were announced, they were along predictable lines. The Kashmir valley had overwhelmingly voted in favour of the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, a conglomerate of older, regional political parties that have been demanding the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and special status under Article 370 of the Constitution, which had been dismantled by the central government in August 2019. The Jammu region, meanwhile, voted largely for the Bharatiya Janata Party.