SaralnamaA year after Omar Abdullah registered an emphatic win in Budgam in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls, the constituency is set for a by-election. Though the J&K Chief Minister — he retained his family bastion, Ganderbal, after winning both constituencies — is not in direct contest this time, the bypoll result is likely to be read as the first verdict on his first year in power. Budgam has been a traditional stronghold of Omar’s party National Conference (NC) for almost five decades — the party has been winning it since 1977 — and looks set for a dramatic contest this time with three “Agas” in the fray. While the NC has fielded veteran politician Aga Mehmood, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is banking on Aga Muntzair Mehdi who contested against Omar last year, and the BJP… (Updated 23 Oct 2025, 11:27 IST; source: link)
Key Points
- A year after Omar Abdullah registered an emphatic win in Budgam in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls, the constituency is set for a by-election on November 11
- Though the J&K Chief Minister — he retained his family bastion, Ganderbal, after winning both constituencies — is not in direct contest this time, the bypoll result is likely to be read as the first verdict on his first year in power
- Budgam has been a traditional stronghold of Omar’s party National Conference (NC) for almost five decades — the party has been winning it since 1977 — and looks set for a dramatic contest this time with three “Agas” in the fray