Budgam, Nov 14, KNT: The Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party suffered a significant setback in the Budgam Assembly by-election, finishing below the BJP and several Independent candidates. Its official candidate, Mukhtar Ahmad Dar managed only 1,710 votes, a performance that placed the party far behind the top contenders and even trailing political newcomers.
Muntazir Mohi-ud-Din, who was expelled from the Apni Party days before the election, secured 3,030 votes as an Independent, outperforming not only the Apni Party’s own nominee but also multiple recognised party candidates. His tally placed him ahead of the BJP and close to the mid-tier Independent contenders.
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The BJP’s candidate Aga Syed Mohsin Mosvi secured 2,619 votes, clearly ahead of the Apni Party. Several Independent candidates also outperformed the Apni Party candidate, including Nazir Ahmad Khan with 3,089 votes, Mohd Sameer Bhat with 2,534 votes, and Jibran Dar who secured 7,152 votes, placing third overall.
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Meanwhile, the by-poll was decisively won by PDP’s Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi, who secured 21,576 votes. His nearest rival, NC’s Aga Syed Mahmood Al-Mosavi, finished with 17,098 votes, marking the fall of a constituency long considered a bastion of the National Conference.
Other candidates included Dr Mohd Maqbool Bhat with 1,225 votes, Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat with 904, Deeba Khan with 459, Aditi Sharma with 283, Manzoor Ahmad Ganie with 223, Mohammad Shafi Shah with 213, Parvej Ahmad Mir with 212, and Shabir Ahmad Ganie with 171.
The lowest tally was recorded by Farooq Ahmad of the Panthers Party with 57 votes, while NOTA secured 544 votes, surpassing several candidates.
The outcome reveals a weakened organisational presence of the Apni Party in Budgam, where even its expelled former member drew higher support than its official nominee. The results also highlight a growing voter preference for Independents over certain mainstream parties in central Kashmir. [KNT]
