J&K bypolls: Historic loss for NC as PDP wins Budgam seat for first time; BJP retains Nagrota seat

SRINAGAR: In a setback for the National Conference and Omar Abdullah government, the opposition PDP has wrested the Budgam seat from the ruling party. This is the first time that NC has lost an election from the Budgam seat. The BJP, meanwhile, retained the Nagrota seat in the bypolls in J&K. PDPs Aga Muntazir, riding on the anti-incumbency against the Omar Abdullah government, won the Budgam Assembly bypolls by defeating NCs Aga Mahmood. 17 candidates were in fray from the Budgam seat, which fell vacant after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah vacated the seat and retained the Ganderbal seat. Omar had contested from two Assembly seats in the 2024 polls and won from both the seats. After his win, PDP candidate Aga Muntazir said people have voted for change and accountability. Budgam has remained unrepresented till date and now it will be represented in every forum, he said. The bypolls in Budgam were held amid growing anti-incumbency against the Omar government as people were dissatisfied over unfulfilled promises, including job creation, installation of smart power meters, 200 units of free electricity, 12 subsidized LPG cylinders, and a fair reservation policy. The discontent fuelled anti-incumbency that challenged NCs long-held dominance in the constituency. Adding to NCs worries, influential Shia leader and Srinagar MP Aga Ruhullah did not campaign for the party candidatedue to dissatisfaction with the Omar-led government. The Budgam seat has been the stronghold of the ruling NC, and the party has never lost the election in the seat since 1972. The defeat is an unprecedented setback for the NC and underscores strong anti-incumbency against the Omar government and reflects public disappointment with the NCs performance and its failure to fulfill its poll promises. Meanwhile, the Opposition BJP retained the Nagrota assembly seat after its candidate Devyani Rana won the bypolls from the seat by 24,647 votes. Devyani, who is the daughter of late BJP leader Devender Singh Rana, secured 42350 votes while former minister and J&K National Panthers Party (JKNPP) candidate Harsh Dev Singh got 17703 votes and National Conferences Shamim Begum secured 10,872 votes. 10 candidates were in fray for the seat, but the main contest was between Devyani, Harsh, and Shamim. After her win, Devyani thanked the voters and the party leadership for the victory. The Nagrota bypoll was necessitated after Devyanis father and sitting MLA from the seat, Devender Singh Rana, died in October last year.