PDP wins Budgam assembly bypoll, says result is protest against NC for not keeping promises

Srinagar/Budgam (J&K), Nov 14 (PTI) Opposition PDP candidate Aga Syed Muntazir on Friday won the Budgam assembly bypoll in Jammu and Kashmir, defeating ruling National Conference (NC) candidate Aga Syed Mehmood by a margin of nearly 4,500 votes.

This is the first time that the NC has lost in its bastion of Budgam, in central Kashmir, since 1957, the first elections for the legislative assembly.

According to the data on the ECI website, Muntazir secured 21,576 votes against Mehmood's 17,098 at the end of the counting of votes.

The BJP candidate Aga Syed Mohsin stood a distant sixth with just 2,619 votes.

Reacting to his win, Muntazir said the bypoll verdict is a protest against the ruling National Conference (NC) for not keeping its promises.

"This verdict is a protest against the NC for not fulfilling its political and developmental promises. This verdict will force the NC to fulfil the promises it made to the people of J-K," Muntazir told reporters here in the central Kashmir district.

"This (win) is a result of the hard work of 50 years, and now Budgam's vote will get a true representation. This is an answer to the NC for neglecting the people of Budgam in 2024," he said and added that the people of Budgam have voted for a change and accountability.

Meanwhile, PDP leader Iltija Mufti described the party's win as the people's victory, saying the voters understood that the promises made by the ruling NC turned out to be hollow.

"I want to congratulate the people of Budgam... This is the win of the people of Budgam. They have chosen a party that will work for their betterment," Mufti told reporters here.

"We had consistently made people understand that they gave many opportunities to the NC, even elected a chief minister, but they (NC) went back on their promises. Muntazir will work for the people and serve them," Mufti added.

The bypoll in Budgam was necessitated after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah vacated the seat and chose his family bastion of Ganderbal after winning from both constituencies in the assembly elections last year. PTI SSB AMJ AMJ