SRINAGAR: The National Conference (NC) on Sunday announced Shia leader Agha Syed Mehmood as its candidate for the Budgam Assembly seat, while the PDP has fielded Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi. The by-election, scheduled for November 11, marks the first major test of the Omar government’s popularity since it assumed office in October last year.
“On the directions of the party leadership, NC has announced Agha Syed Mehmood as the party’s candidate for the upcoming Budgam Assembly election. The party extends best wishes to him for a successful campaign in the service of the people of Budgam,” the NC posted on its X handle.
Mehmood, an influential Shia leader and a former minister, has a good support base in the Budgam constituency, which holds very significant for the ruling NC as the seat has been vacated by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Omar had contested from Budgam and Ganderbal Assembly seats in 2024 Assembly polls and after becoming the CM, he retained the Ganderbal seat and vacated the Budgam constituency.
For the ruling NC, the stakes in Budgam Assembly seat bypolls are very high as these polls are seen as a first significant popularity test and a referendum on Omar Abdullah’s performance.
As a cause of concern for the party, Srinagar MP Aga Ruhullah has announced against campaigning for the party’s candidate in his home constituency in Budgam.
Ruhullah, an influential Shia leader with a strong support base in Budgam’s mixed Shia-Sunni population, is unhappy over Omar government’s ‘soft’ policies towards the centre and not fulfilling pre-poll promises on Article 370 restoration and equitable job reservation.
The NC has sidelined Ruhullah over his criticism against the government and has excluded him from key decision-making processes despite being an MP.
According to political observers, Ruhullah’s absence from campaigning could be worrisome for the party leadership.
The NC has strategically fielded another prominent Shia leader, Agha Mehmood from Budgam to counter Ruhullah’s sway.
On the other hand, PDP has nominated another Shia influential leader Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi, who had secured 17,525 votes against Omar Abdullah’s 35,804 votes in the 2024 polls.
The Budgam constituency is witnessing a multi-cornered contest featuring BJP’s Syed Mohsin, AAP’s Deeba Khan, AIP’s Nazir Ahmad Khan, and independent candidates Muntazir Mohi-ud-Din, Jibran Dar, and Aga Syed Mohsin Mustafa. However, the main battle is expected to be between NC’s Agha Mehmood and PDP’s Aga Syed Muntazir.
Political analysts suggest that a defeat for the NC in Budgam would signal waning public confidence in the Omar government and could mark the end of the NC wave that dominated the 2024 Assembly elections.
