Who Are the Newly Sworn MLAs in J&K: Devyani Rana and Aga Muntazir?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Devyani Rana and Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi are the newly sworn-in MLAs in J&K.
- The BJP and PDP continue to be significant players in J&K politics.
- The recent bypolls reflect the ongoing political dynamics in the region.
- Congress is maintaining support for the NC government despite tensions.
- The Assembly composition indicates a diverse political landscape.
Jammu, Nov 21 (NationPress) The Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather, officiated the oath-taking ceremony for two newly elected MLAs on Friday. Devyani Rana, representing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were officially inducted as members of the 90-member Legislative Assembly at 11 a.m.
Devyani Rana secured her seat in the Nagrota Assembly constituency by defeating her closest opponent, Harsh Dev Singh of the J&K National Panthers Party (JKNPP), with a significant margin of over 21,000 votes in the bypoll.
On the other hand, Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi of the PDP triumphed over Aga Syed Mehmood from the ruling National Conference (NC) by a margin exceeding 4,400 votes in the Budgam Assembly constituency.
The bypoll in Nagrota was necessitated by the passing of BJP MLA Devender Singh Rana on October 31, 2024, who had previously won the 2024 Assembly election as a BJP candidate. The BJP nominated Devyani Rana, the daughter of the late MLA, to contest the by-election.
Meanwhile, the vacancy in the Budgam Assembly constituency arose after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah resigned from this seat, having won in both Budgam and Ganderbal in the 2024 elections. He opted to represent Ganderbal in the Legislative Assembly.
The current composition of the Assembly includes 41 MLAs from the ruling NC, 29 from the BJP, six from Congress, four from PDP, with the remaining comprising CPI(M), Peoples Conference (PC), Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and six Independents, five of whom have aligned with the NC.
Despite having six MLAs, Congress continues to back the NC government led by Omar Abdullah from the outside, maintaining their support amidst ongoing tensions over the recent Rajya Sabha seat elections.
In the Rajya Sabha elections held on October 24, the NC secured three out of four seats, while the BJP claimed one.