Blows for Omar and Mehbooba, and no gains for BJP ‘proxies’ in Kashmir

While Jammu returned its two sitting BJP MPs to the Lok Sabha, Kashmir sprung a surprise – not one but two. While jailed Independent candidate Engineer Rashid defeated former chief minister Omar Abdullah, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti lost to a National Conference Gujjar leader, Mian Altaf.

The margin of defeat of the two former chief ministers of J&K was also a surprise. While Mufti lost by close to three lakh votes in Anantnag-Rajouri, Rashid defeated Omar by over two lakh votes in Baramulla.

The third Lok Sabha seat in Kashmir, Srinagar, was won by the NC’s Aga Ruhullah Mehdi by a comfortable majority.

In Ladakh’s Leh Lok Sabha seat, Independent candidate Mohammad Haneefa, a former district president of the NC and seen as the party’s proxy, prevailed over BJP and Congress candidates.

Acknowledging their defeat, Mufti and Omar said they “respect the verdict of the people”. Mufti posted: “I thank my PDP workers and leaders for their hard work and support despite all the odds. My deepest gratitude to the people who voted for me. Winning & losing is part of the game & won’t deter us from our path. Congratulations to Mian sahab for his victory”.

While congratulating Rashid, Omar posted on X: “I don’t believe his victory will hasten his release from prison nor will the people of North Kashmir get the representation they have a right to, but the voters have spoken and in a democracy that’s all that matters.” Rashid is lodged in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail since 2019 in an alleged money laundering case related to terror funding.

Omar talked about the scrapping of J&K’s special status and statehood, as well as development. But Rashid’s campaign, run by his sons Abrar Rashid (23) and