PDP stuns NC in Budgam; BJP retains Nagrota in J&K bypolls

Srinagar: In a sharp political setback for the ruling  National Conference (NC), opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday wrested the Budgam Assembly seat for the first time in history, signalling growing public disenchantment in against over a year old Omar Abdullah government in Jammu and Kashmir. 

PDP candidate Aga Muntazir defeated NC’s Aga Mahmood, riding a wave of anti-incumbency that has been building against the Omar Abdullah government. The loss is particularly stinging for the NC, as Budgam has traditionally served as a safe constituency and a symbolic indicator of the party’s grassroots hold in central Kashmir.

The bypoll in Budgam was necessitated after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah vacated the seat earlier this year, choosing to retain Ganderbal, a constituency long associated with his family and considered the NC’s traditional stronghold.

In Jammu, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held its ground. Devyani Rana, daughter of late BJP leader Devender Singh Rana, retained the Nagrota Assembly seat with a decisive victory. She secured 42,350 votes, defeating former minister and J&K National Panthers Party (JKNPP) candidate Harsh Dev Singh, who polled 17,703 votes.

The NC’s Shamim Begum finished third with 10,872 votes, with Rana winning by an emphatic margin of 24,647 votes. The seat fell vacant following the death of Rana on October 31, 2024.

The bypolls, though limited to two constituencies, are being viewed as an early warning sign for the government, exposing vulnerabilities within the NC’s core support base ahead of the broader political calendar. Political observers say the Budgam defeat could embolden the opposition PDP, which has been attempting to rebuild its influence in the Valley.

The contrasting results highlight a political divide across regions: while the PDP made an aggressive comeback in the Valley at the NC’s expense, the BJP continued to consolidate its position in Jammu. For the Omar Abdullah government, the Budgam outcome is likely to trigger introspection within the NC as it faces renewed opposition momentum in Kashmir.

The government, already navigating a sensitive political climate, now confronts heightened pressure to address governance issues that appear to have influenced voter sentiment in Budgam — making the bypolls a small but significant political jolt.