Srinagar, Nov 14: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly bypoll results delivered a major setback to the Omar Abdullah–led government on Friday, with the National Conference (NC) losing both key seats—Nagrota and Budgam—despite an aggressive, high-profile campaign.
In Nagrota, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) registered a sweeping victory. Devyani Rana secured 42,183 votes, defeating DPAP chairman Harsh Dev Singh, who polled 17,661. NC’s Shamim Begum finished a distant third with 10,834 votes, marking a significant blow to the ruling party’s prospects.
In central Kashmir’s Budgam, a traditional NC bastion, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has now won the seat. PDP candidate Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi defeated NC’s Aga Syed Mehmood by a margin of over 4,000 votes, after a competitive contest featuring 17 candidates.
Speaking to KDC, Mehdi said voters had chosen “change and accountability,” adding that Budgam—ignored over the past year—would now receive effective representation in the Assembly.
NC’s Strategy Fails Despite Heavyweight Push
According to party insiders, the NC had deployed a “parade of 42 MLAs” to consolidate support. However, the effort failed to counter rising anti-incumbency sentiments, resulting in losses in both constituencies.
The Budgam outcome, insiders say, was further influenced by the absence of senior Shia leader and Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, who publicly refused to campaign for the NC candidate. Citing delays in the Reservation Sub-Committee report, concerns over smart meters, and perceived backtracking on statehood and Article 370, Ruhullah even asked that his name and image not be used in the NC’s campaign.
Analysts believe his non-participation weakened NC’s ground mobilisation at a crucial time, particularly as the PDP intensified its outreach.
With Nagrota lost and Budgam now won by the PDP, observers see this as the first major political shock for the Omar Abdullah government since its return to power last year. The results, they say, point toward shifting political currents and growing public discontent.
PDP workers celebrated across Budgam soon after the results were announced, while the ruling NC has begun internal reviews to assess the scale and implications of the setback. (KDC)
