Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Nov 9: The campaigning for Budgam Assembly bypoll in Kashmir ended this evening with ruling National Conference (NC) facing threat in its stronghold from the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the first time since 1972.
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There are 17 candidates in fray for the Budgam bypoll, where voting will be held on November 11. Besides Aga Syed Mehmood and Aga Syed Muntazir, other key candidates include Bharatiya Janata Party’s Syed Mohsin, Awami Ittehad Party’s Nazir Ahmad Khan, Aam Aadmi Party’s Deeba Khan, and Independent candidate Muntazir Mohiuddin.
Budgam has been a bastion of National Conference, with Aga Ruhullah Mehdi winning the seat in the 2002, 2008 and 2014 assembly polls before Abdullah won it in 2024. The constituency has always been a stronghold of the NC with party’s late Syed Ghulam Hassan Geelani representing it four times in a row in 1977, 1983, 1987 and 1996. Out of 11 times, NC won 10 times and Indian National Congress candidate Ali Mohammad Mir won in 1972.
Mehdi, who is now a Member Parliament after winning from Srinagar on the NC ticket, has since fallen out with the party leadership over several issues, including the current reservation policy. He did not campaign for the party candidate for the by-election.
In the 2024 Assembly elections, Omar Abdullah defeated PDP candidate Aga Syed Muntazir by a margin of over 18, 000 votes. Omar polled 36010 votes and Muntazir 17525 but a year later, the situation seems to be different after Mehmood replaced Omar as NC candidate. Click here to watch video
NC is facing revolt by the leading face of NC in Budgam, Ruhullah, who didn’t campaign for the NC candidate and openly spoke against the Government.
Both the Agas are likely to get a good response from the Shia community. The Sunnis areas where poll percentage is usually low will decide who will represent Budgam this time. The higher voter turnout in Sunni areas can put NC in a tight spot but at the same time Sunni votes will get divided among several candidates to the disadvantage of the PDP.
The District Magistrate Budgam, in the meantime, has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita across the district from 6 pm on November 9 to 6 pm on November 11, marking the start of the election silence period.
All unlawful assemblies, public meetings, rallies, and election-related gatherings are banned under Section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Section 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita to ensure peaceful polling, the order read.
According to the order issued from the Office of District Magistrate Budgam, the restrictions have been imposed in district under Section 163 BNSS from 6:00 pm on November 9 , 2025 (Sunday) till 6:00pm on November 11, 2025 (Tuesday) in wake of the scheduled polling in the 27 Assembly segment in the district and to uphold the sanctity of democratic principles.
The order further read that there shall be ban on unlawful assembly as per the section 189 of BNS and any procession or rally shall be prohibited to prevent any law and order problem, and no person shall convene, hold, attend, join or address any public meeting or procession in connection with the elections.
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