SRINAGAR: The ruling National Conference (NC) has gone all out in the high-stakes Budgam bypolls, which are being seen as a referendum and popularity test for the Omar Abdullah government.
The NC has deployed its entire political machinery, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and party MLAs, to ensure victory for its candidate, Aga Mehmood, in the Budgam Assembly constituency, which goes to bypolls on November 11.
The poll campaign ended yesterday evening.
NC’s Aga Mehmood is among 17 candidates contesting the Budgam bypolls, which was necessitated after CM Omar vacated the seat and retained the Ganderbal seat. Omar had contested two Assembly constituencies and won from both.
As the Budgam bypoll is being viewed as a test of the NC government’s popularity, the ruling party has left no stone unturned to reach out to voters and seek support for its candidate. From Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Singh, and MLAs from North, South, and Central Kashmir to those from Banihal and Gurez, all turned up in Budgam, participating in roadshows, gatherings, and corner meetings in an unusual show of strength that underscores the importance NC is attaching to this election.
According to political observers, “It is for the first time that we have seen MLAs in such large numbers campaigning for the party candidate. In the past, it was mainly the party chief Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah leading the poll campaign. This time, nearly every MLA of NC is in Budgam, which shows how critical the seat is for the ruling party.”
Aga Mehmood faces a stiff challenge from PDP’s Aga Muntazir, although other strong candidates, including independent Muntazir Moh-ud-Din and AIP’s Nazir Ahmad Khan, are also in the fray.
The opposition has mounted a strong campaign accusing the NC government of failing to deliver on its promises - job creation, 200 units of free electricity, 12 subsidised gas cylinders, and a fair reservation policy.
Besides facing anti-incumbency, the NC candidate is also dealing with internal challenges. Both Aga Mehmood and PDP’s Aga Muntazir are influential Shia leaders, making the Shia vote - about 30–35% of Budgam’s 1.25 lakh electorate - crucial.
Another prominent Shia face of Budgam, Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, NC’s Srinagar MP, has distanced himself from the campaign due to dissatisfaction with the Omar Abdullah-led government. An NC leader admitted that Ruhullah’s absence has complicated the party’s efforts. “It has made things a bit difficult,” he said. “That’s why the Chief Minister and almost all our MLAs have campaigned in Budgam - to make up for the ground lost due to Ruhullah’s absence.”
Sensing the political heat, Omar visited Budgam for the third consecutive day yesterday, addressing multiple gatherings and urging voters to reaffirm their faith in his government.
To counter public discontent over unmet promises — especially the 200 free electricity units — Omar revived the emotive issue of Articles 370 and 35A, which he had allegedly pushed to the back burner after forming the government, by accusing the PDP of betraying the people of J&K by aligning with the BJP in 2014 and paving the way for the abrogation of J&K’s special status.
As the election campaigning has ended, it remains to be seen whether the ruling party’s aggressive outreach and Omar’s personal involvement can overcome anti-incumbency — or if the opposition manages to wrest the seat as a sign of waning public confidence in the Omar government — when results are declared on November 11.