Naveed Ul Haq Ganaiee
Srinagar, Nov 14 : In a landmark political shift, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won the Budgam Assembly constituency for the first time in history, breaking the decades-long dominance of the National Conference (NC) in the central Kashmir seat.
PDP’s Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi, per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), secured a winning margin of 4,496 votes, marking a significant breakthrough for the party, which had never tasted victory in Budgam across multiple assembly elections.
The by-election was necessitated after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who won both Ganderbal and Budgam seats last year, chose to retain Ganderbal, leaving Budgam vacant.
Despite Budgam being a NC stronghold – historically held by the Aga family – the campaign this time appeared visibly weaker. Senior NC leader and MP Aga Syed Ruhulla Mehdi, who commanded a strong personal influence in the area, did not campaign for the party candidate. Political observers say this directly contributed to a split in NC’s traditional vote base, benefiting the PDP.
For the PDP, the victory marks a crucial political milestone. Until now, the party had only three members in the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly. With this win, PDP will now have four MLAs, strengthening its voice in the House.
The seat has historically remained out of PDP’s reach. In 2024, Omar Abdullah (NC) defeated PDP’s Muntazir Mehdi by 18,485 votes, in 2014, 2008, 2002, NC’s Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi won consecutively and in 1996, NC’s Syed Gh Hussain Geelani won the seat
With a strong margin and a historic breakthrough, PDP’s victory in Budgam is being seen as a sign of changing political winds in central Kashmir. The party leadership is expected to capitalise on this momentum as they prepare for the next political cycle—(KNO)
