j k election results - 18th December 2008

One seat changed hands in yesterday's local by-elections around the country.

Thrapston Lakes, East Northants District Council
Con - 63% (+6)
Lab - 23% (+23)
UKIP - 15%( -28)
Con hold

Ibstock and Heather, North West Leicestershire District Council
Con - 32% (+9 on by-election in January)
BNP - 31% (+3)
Lab - 29% (-2)
LD - 8% (-10)
Con hold

Kells and Sandwith, Cumbria County Council
Lab - 42% (-24)
BNP - 40% (+40)
Con - 18% (+1)
Lab hold

Weston super Mare Claremont/Uphill, North Somerset Unitary Authority
Con - 27.5% (-36.5)
Ind - 27.5% (+27.5)
LD - 24% (-2)
Ind - 13% (+13)
Lab - 8% (-3)
(Both Inds were former Conservative councillors)
Con hold after toss of coin!

Newchurch, Isle of Wight Unitary Authority
Ind - 22% (-15).
LD - 40% (+40)
Con - 39% (-7)
(Previous councillor had been elected a Conservative but defected)
LD gain from Ind

Glyncoch, Rhondda Cynon Taff Unitary Authority
Lab - 50% (-18)
Ind - 33% (+33)
Plaid - 11% (-21)
Con - 3% (+3)

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Omar Abdullah Omar Abdullah Prefers Alliance With Congress NC Chief Omar Abdullah

As Jammu and Kashmir headed for a hung assembly, the National Conference today said it would prefer to have an alliance with the Congress.
"Personally, I will prefer to have an alliance with the Congress," NC President Omar Abdullah said when asked whom his party would like to see as a coalition partner in the future government.

Ruling out any possibility of having a tie-up with BJP, Abdullah said his party would prefer to sit in the opposition rather than forming a government with the saffron party. NC was part of A B Vajpayee-led NDA government.

Abdullah said the NC would try to get the support of the independent MLAs first before mulling other options.

Asked who would be the next Chief Minister as the party had already projected Farooq Abdullah as Chief Ministerial candidate, he said a final decision would be taken later on.

Referring to the large voter turnout, Abdullah said people wanted to separate day-to-day problems from the Kashmir issue and that was why a large number of people came out to exercise their franchise.

"Importantly, this election was held without the fear of gun," he said.

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