Naveed Ul Haq Ganaiee
Srinagar, Nov 14 (KNO): In a landmark shift in central Kashmir’s political landscape, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won the Budgam Assembly seat for the first time, ending the decades-long dominance of the National Conference (NC) in the constituency.
PDP’s Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi secured a victory margin of 4,496 votes, according to the news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO). The win marks a historic breakthrough for the PDP, which had never previously managed to clinch the Budgam seat despite multiple attempts across assembly elections.
The bypoll was held after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who won both Ganderbal and Budgam last year, chose to retain the Ganderbal seat, resulting in Budgam falling vacant.
Budgam has traditionally been a stronghold of the NC, long associated with the influential Aga family. However, the party’s campaign this time appeared significantly weaker. Senior NC leader and MP Aga Syed Ruhulla Mehdi, known for his personal influence in the constituency, did not participate in the campaign. Political observers say this absence played a key role in splitting the NC’s traditional vote base, a shift that ultimately favoured the PDP.
For the PDP, the victory is politically significant. Until now, the party had only three members in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. With this win, their tally rises to four, giving the party a stronger voice in the House.
Budgam has long remained out of reach for the PDP. In 2024, Omar Abdullah defeated the same PDP candidate, Muntazir Mehdi, by a margin of 18,485 votes. Prior to that, the constituency was consistently won by NC leaders: Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi in 2014, 2008, and 2002, and Syed Gh Hassan Geelani in 1996.
With Thursday’s decisive victory, the PDP’s breakthrough in Budgam is being viewed as an indicator of shifting political currents in central Kashmir. The party leadership is expected to build on this momentum as it gears up for the next phase of political activity in Jammu and Kashmir.
