Budgam By-Election: Residents Vote for Change After Decades of Perceived Neglect

 

Suhail Khan

BUDGAM, NOV 11: Defying the bitter cold, voters in central Kashmir’s Budgam turned out for a crucial by-election, expressing a collective sentiment of betrayal and a determined hope for development. Many stated they feel “broken” after being “ditched for decades.”

In exclusive conversation with the Kashmir Convener team reporting on the ground, residents of this long-standing National Conference (NC) bastion revealed a history of casting their votes faithfully, only to be met with what they describe as empty promises and neglect from previous regimes.

“This time, we are casting our vote for change and for development,” said one resident, capturing the prevailing mood. “We have been ignored and given false hopes, despite always being at the forefront of voting. Budgam has always been ignored, but this time we are hopeful for a change and a new beginning.”

Many voters stated that the constituency has been deprived of basic facilities for decades. “We always cast our vote and stood by our representatives, but despite that, we were ignored from a developmental perspective,” they said.

They expressed strong hope that this electoral exercise would yield different results. “This time we are very hopeful that change will be seen once the new representative comes to power. At least, people should not be deprived of basic facilities,” they added.

Hassan Ali, a voter, articulated this powerfully: “I did not just cast a vote; I have taken an exam of my conscience. Today is not merely a day for voting; it is a test of my awareness, so that tomorrow I cannot complain that this or that work was left undone. I am sending my representative to the assembly with my vote; therefore, this is not just a day of voting, but a day of consciousness.

He further emphasized, “It is our voters’ exam, so we have to cast our vote very carefully to ensure the result is in favor of a representative who will raise their voice for us in the assembly and play an important role in highlighting our problems.”

Connecting the ballot to daily survival, he added, “A human being wants to live, and one can only live with basic facilities. In our constituency, we are voting today precisely for these basic facilities.”

Shabir Ahmad, another voter, stated, “In past regimes, our elected representatives only gave us suffering. This time, we have decided to support the one who can meet our expectations, who can truly feel the pain of the people of Budgam.”

Mohammad Ramzan, 66, reflected on a lifetime of political disappointment: “I am 66 years old, and in almost 50 years, I have seen only one government here—one that has completely damaged and destroyed us. But it is time for the people to get rid of these sufferings, to choose a leader with quality who can truly feel pain for Budgam people and who can fight for its development.”

For Mohammad Jaffar, the goal was simple: “I cast my vote to see a change from the sufferings we face here. We are longing for basic facilities; my purpose in voting is to see better amenities in Budgam.”

The polling in Budgam is widely seen as a litmus test for Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s government and his party, the National Conference (NC).

The by-poll was necessitated after Mr. Abdullah vacated the seat following his election from the family bastion of Ganderbal in last year’s Assembly polls. Officials reported that polling began at 7 am across 173 polling stations and proceeded smoothly, scheduled to end at 6 pm.

The Budgam assembly constituency has approximately 1.26 lakh registered voters. All arrangements, including a tight security cover, were in place to ensure a smooth process. Budgam has been a bastion of the NC since 1962, barring a single Congress victory in 1972.

NC Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar, Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, won from the Budgam seat in the 2002, 2008, and 2014 assembly polls, before Abdullah emerged victorious here in 2024.

There are 17 candidates in the fray. Aga Syed Mehmood of the ruling National Conference faces a stiff challenge from the PDP’s (People’s Democratic Party) Aga Muntazir. Other key candidates include the BJP’s Syed Mohsin, the Awami Ittehad Party’s Nazir Ahmad Khan, the Aam Aadmi Party’s Deeba Khan, and independent candidate Muntazir Mohiuddin.