Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 14: In a dramatic political upset in Jammu and Kashmir, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday wrested the Budgam Assembly seat from the ruling National Conference (NC) in a high-profile by-election, marking the party’s first-ever defeat in this Shia-majority constituency.
The result is historic. Since 1962, the NC has lost the Budgam seat only once—in 1972, when it did not contest. This is the first time the party has been defeated here in a direct electoral contest.
PDP candidate Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi clinched victory by a margin of 4,478 votes, securing 21,576 votes against 17,098 polled by NC’s Aga Syed Mahmood Al-Masovi. BJP’s Aga Syed Mohsin Mosvi finished a distant third with 2,619 votes, trailing behind Independents Nazir Ahmed Khan (3,089 votes) and Muntazir Mohi-ud-Din (3,030 votes).
Celebrating the win, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti hailed the electorate for “sidelining the government’s 50 MLAs” and trusting her party. “I pray that God gives us the strength to meet the expectations of the people. Aga Muntazir Mehdi’s doors have always been open—and will remain open—for the people of Budgam,” she said after the Election Commission formally declared the results.
The by-election had gained significance after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah vacated the Budgam seat, choosing to retain the other constituency he won in 2024. Omar had swept Budgam last year with 36,010 votes, while Mehdi had secured 17,525.
Determined to defend its stronghold, the NC fielded Aga Syed Mehmood and mounted an intensive campaign led by Omar Abdullah, senior leaders, and most party MLAs. The party pitched the bypoll as a referendum on the government’s first year in office.
For the PDP, however, the by-election was an opportunity to reclaim political space after its worst-ever performance in 2024, when it was reduced to just three Assembly seats. Banking on Mehdi’s grassroots influence and the religious standing of the Aga family in Budgam, the party treated the contest as a crucial fight for revival.
The victory is a significant morale boost for the PDP, which now increases its tally to four MLAs in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. Political observers view the result as a sign of shifting currents in central Kashmir, where the NC has held traditional dominance.
With a convincing margin and a symbolic breakthrough, the PDP is expected to leverage the momentum as it prepares for the next phase of political battles in the Union Territory. |
