Budgam Assembly bypoll a litmus test for Omar govt

As political activity intensifies in Jammu and Kashmir, the upcoming Budgam bypoll is emerging as a crucial test of public sentiment towards the Omar Abdullah-led government. Voting is scheduled for next month, following the vacancy created after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah resigned from the seat, choosing to retain Ganderbal—the other constituency he contested in last year’s assembly elections.

The by-election is being widely seen as a referendum on the performance of the ruling National Conference (NC), which has come under sharp criticism from opposition parties over what they describe as a year of underperformance and broken promises.

Political parties across the Valley have already begun preparing for the contest. On Saturday, the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), led by jailed Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid, announced Nazir Ahmad Khan as its official candidate for the Budgam bypoll.

Speaking at a press conference, Awami Ittehad Party chief spokesperson Inam Un Nabi launched a scathing attack on Omar Abdullah, accusing him of betraying the trust of Budgam voters. “Omar Abdullah promised during the last elections that if Budgam gave him more votes than Ganderbal, he would retain their seat. Budgam trusted him, but he abandoned them,” Inam said.

He added that voters in Budgam had grown disillusioned with both NC and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and that AIP would contest the bypoll with full strength, “promising to represent the voice of the people with honesty, courage and accountability.”

The National Conference, which has traditionally held the Budgam seat, is expected to announce its candidate soon. The seat was previously represented by NC leader and Srinagar MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, who has in recent months been openly critical of the Omar Abdullah government. Holding onto the seat without Mehdi’s support could prove challenging for the party.

The Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP is likely to field Aga Syed Muntazir, the party’s constituency in-charge for Budgam, who had lost to Omar Abdullah in the last assembly polls.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)—which has yet to secure a win in any legislative seat in the Valley—is also expected to announce a candidate for Budgam.

Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari has confirmed that his party will contest both the Budgam and Nagrota bypolls, further heating up the political battlefield.

As parties position themselves for the contest, the Budgam bypoll is being viewed as a barometer for shifting political currents in the Valley and a critical moment for Omar Abdullah’s government to prove its mandate.