How Did the BJP Retain Nagrota While PDP Won Budgam in J&K Bypolls?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- PDP won Budgam Assembly seat from NC.
- BJP retained Nagrota seat with a significant margin.
- Political dynamics in J&K are shifting.
- Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi's victory marks a key moment for the PDP.
- Devyani Rana continues her family's legacy in Nagrota.
Srinagar/Jammu, Nov 14 (NationPress) The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) successfully captured the Budgam Assembly seat in Jammu and Kashmir from the ruling National Conference (NC), while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held onto the Nagrota Assembly seat, according to results announced on Friday.
Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi from the PDP triumphed over his closest competitor, Aga Syed Mehmood of the NC, securing victory by a margin exceeding 4,100 votes in a fiercely contested election.
The Budgam seat became available following the resignation of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. He had previously won from both Budgam and Ganderbal in the 2024 Assembly elections, opting to retain Ganderbal.
The absence of NC MP, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, from the party's campaign significantly impacted the NC's vote count in the Budgam bypoll.
Ruhullah Mehdi, a Budgam native, chose not to support the NC's campaign due to internal disagreements.
In a surprising twist, jubilant PDP supporters celebrated their candidate's win by chanting slogans in support of Ruhullah Mehdi.
Meanwhile, in Nagrota, BJP's Devyani Rana emerged victorious in the bypoll, defeating her nearest rival, Harsh Dev Singh from the Panthers Party, by a margin surpassing 21,000 votes.
NC candidate Shamim Begum finished a distant third, garnering just over 10,000 votes.
Celebrations erupted in the BJP camp in Jammu following the announcement of their candidate's win in Nagrota.
Devyani Rana is the daughter of the late Devender Singh Rana, who had won the Nagrota assembly seat in the 2024 elections, necessitating the bypoll after his death last October.
Within the 90-member J&K Assembly, the BJP holds 29 seats compared to the NC's 41 seats, while the PDP has increased its representation to 4 seats.