Waris Fayaz
Baramulla, Oct 08 : In a sweeping victory, the National Conference (NC) has secured a strong foothold in the Baramulla district by winning a majority of the assembly seats, while the Indian National Congress (INC) claimed one.
According to the news agency, the political landscape of Baramulla saw significant shifts, as seasoned politicians and new contenders battled it out for control of this key district.
Javaid Hassan Baig of NC retained his seat in the Baramulla Assembly constituency, securing 22,523 votes, defeating Shoaib Nabi Lone, an AIP-backed candidate, by a margin of 11,773 votes. Despite fierce campaigning from his rivals, Baig’s established presence and previous tenure as MLA in 2014 helped him secure a convincing victory.
In the neighbouring Sopore constituency, Irshad Rasool Kar pulled off a landslide victory, securing 26,783 votes and defeating his opponent Mursaleen Aajir by a massive 20,220 votes. The two-time MLA Abdul Rashid Dar of INC trailed far behind with only 5,127 votes.
In the Gulmarg constituency, NC’s Pirzada Farooq Ahmed Shah emerged victorious with 26,984 votes, defeating Ghulam Hassan Mir, a former MLA, by a margin of 4,191 votes. Similarly, in Rafiabad, NC’s Javid Ahmed Dar clinched the seat with 28,783 votes, defeating Yawer Ahmad Mir of the JK Apni Party by a margin of 9,202 votes. Dar, a former MLA, reclaimed his seat after his prior win in 2008, while Yawer Mir, despite contesting as a PDP candidate in 2014, failed to regain his former momentum.
In Pattan, NC’s Javaid Riyaz Bedar, a former Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), narrowly defeated Imran Raza Ansari of the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference (JKPC) by 603 votes, securing 29,893 votes to Ansari’s 29,290 votes. The closely contested race surprised many, as Ansari’s defeat marked a potential shift in voter sentiment in a constituency long dominated by the People’s Conference.
In Uri, NC’s Sajjad Shafi won a resounding victory, securing the seat with a margin of 39,713 votes, defeating former minister Taj Mohi ud Din, who trailed by 14,469 votes.
The only seat secured by the Indian National Congress (INC) was in Wagoora-Kreeri, where Irfan Hafiz Lone defeated two-time MLA Syed Basharat Bukhari of the PDP. Lone garnered 17,002 votes, defeating Bukhari by a margin of 7,751 votes. Irfan, who played a crucial role in maintaining the unity of the Congress-NC alliance, capitalized on his grassroots support and achievements during his tenure as DDC Sangrama.
A total number of 107 candidates including 51 independents were in the contest across the seven assembly constituencies in Baramulla district, with several prominent figures in race.
