The Abdullah family celebrated a significant victory in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, while other political dynasties struggled to gain support. Omar Abdullah emerged victorious, winning both the Budgam and Ganderbal Assembly seats by large margins. He defeated PDP’s Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi in Budgam with a margin of over 18,485 votes, polling 36,010 votes. In Ganderbal, he triumphed over PDP candidate Bashir Ahmad Mir, securing 32,727 votes and winning by 10,574 votes. With this victory, Omar reclaimed his electoral weight in the Union Territory, especially in the valley.
Farooq Abdullah, Omar’s father and National Conference (NC) chief, confirmed that Omar would take on the role of Chief Minister. Omar previously served as Chief Minister from 2009 to 2015, with the Abdullah family maintaining a strong political presence in the region for decades.
Mufti Dynasty Suffers Significant Losses
In stark contrast to the Abdullahs, the Mufti dynasty faced a disheartening election outcome. Mehbooba Mufti’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) managed to win only three seats out of the 90 Assembly constituencies, a drastic decline from the 28 seats secured in 2014. Iltija Mufti, Mehbooba’s daughter, lost her first Assembly election in Srigufwara-Bijbehara, a seat historically held by the Mufti family. This loss marks a substantial blow to the family’s political legacy.
While the PDP crumbled, Sajad Gani Lone of the Jammu & Kashmir People’s Conference won the Handwara seat by a narrow margin of 622 votes, securing 29,812 votes. However, Lone faced a significant defeat in Kupwara, losing by over 20,316 votes to the PDP’s Mir Mohammad Fayaz. The contrasting fortunes of these political families highlight the shifting dynamics in Jammu and Kashmir’s political landscape, with the Abdullahs reinforcing their position while the Muftis falter.
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