Srinagar, Nov 14: The outcome of the Budgam Assembly by-poll sparked strong political reactions on Friday, with JKPCC President Tariq Hameed Karra asserting that voters “hit back” over broken promises and government misconduct, while Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi cautioned against “arrogance,” quoting a Quranic verse that called for humility and introspection.
Karra said the Budgam verdict reflected a significant shift in public sentiment. “The change that has come in people in Budgam is a matter that needs to be looked into,” he said, adding that voters were responding to the circumstances under which the seat fell vacant.
The Budgam seat fell vacant after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who contested from two constituencies in the 2024 Assembly elections, chose to retain Ganderbal despite having secured a larger lead from Budgam. “People remembered Omar Abdullah’s promise that he would retain the seat where he had a bigger lead. Their lead was more from Budgam, so people expressed their anger,” Karra said. He added that administrative “misconduct” had further fueled voter resentment.
In the by-poll, PDP’s Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi defeated National Conference’s Aga Syed Mehmood Al-Mosavi by 4,478 votes, securing 21,576 votes against Al-Mosavi’s 17,098. The voter turnout was around 50%.
Responding indirectly to the defeat, MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi shared a verse from the Quran (Surah Al-A‘raf, 7:146) on social media, warning that arrogance distances individuals from truth. “Arrogance is the recipe for disaster. Consciousness, humility and introspection is the way,” he wrote—remarks widely interpreted as reflecting unease within the National Conference after the Budgam setback.
The Budgam campaign itself had witnessed internal turbulence within the NC. Ruhullah had openly refused to campaign for the party’s candidate, citing unfulfilled commitments by the government, including delays in implementing the Reservation Sub-Committee report, grievances over smart meters, and concerns regarding the restoration of statehood and Article 370.
Meanwhile, in Nagrota, BJP’s Devyani Rana won the by-poll with 42,183 votes, defeating her nearest rival by 24,647 votes. The seat had fallen vacant following the death of BJP MLA Devender Singh Rana, her father, in 2024. The turnout surpassed 75%. (KDC)
