Naveed Ul Haq
Budgam, Oct 8: In a resounding victory in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, the National Conference (NC) clinched victory from all the five seats in Budgam district, leaving no room for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or other parties to make a mark.
This sweeping win comes as the first assembly election held in the region after a decade, marking a significant milestone for NC.
NC quickly took the lead in all five assembly constituencies of Budgam district, which include Budgam, Beerwah, Khansahab, Charar-e-Sharief and Chadoora.
By the end of the day, these initial leads translated into confirmed victories for the party, solidifying their dominance in the district.
The first declared victory came from Khansahab constituency, where NC’s Saif Ud Din Bhat defeated PDF’s Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen by a wide margin of 11,614 votes.
Soon, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah emerged victorious in Budgam constituency, defeating PDP’s Agha Muntazir Mehndi by 18,485 votes.
Beerwah saw NC’s Shafi Ahmad Wani secure a win with a margin of 4,161 votes, while in Chadoora, Ali Mohammad Dar achieved a decisive victory with a 17,218-vote lead.
Finally, Abdullah Rahim Rather claimed Charar-e-Sharief with a margin of 11,496 votes.
Celebrations erupted across Budgam as the results were confirmed, with NC supporters chanting slogans such as “Zoun ho, zoun ho”, Omar Hamara Buland sitara” and “Ab ki baar NC sarkar,” along with praises for Omar Abdullah, the party’s prominent figure.
Late-night gatherings were held at the homes of the winning candidates as people celebrated this landslide victory.
This election marks a significant turnaround for the National Conference in Budgam compared to the 2014 elections when they managed to secure only two seats in the district.
In those elections, Omar Abdullah won the Beerwah seat by a narrow margin of 910 votes, while Aga Ruhullah claimed Budgam with a margin of 2,787. This year, however, NC swept the district, leaving the PDP and other parties unable to secure even a single seat.
