National Conference Wave in J&K Fells Giants

While addressing a gathering this September in Ganderbal, National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah removed the cap from his head and pleaded with the people to 바카라�save his dignity바카라�. Omar바카라�s plea in Ganderbal, considered an NC bastion, came after he had lost the Baramulla Parliamentary seat to the jailed Engineer Rasheed earlier this year. On October 8, Omar바카라�s 바카라�plea바카라� for NC supporters paid off. The region바카라�s oldest political party swept the Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir. For NC supporters, their party바카라�s wave has drowned the 바카라�tallest men바카라� in the game.

Out of total 90 Assembly seats that went to polls in Union Territory, NC has won 42 seats. For several NC leaders at the party바카라�s headquarters 바카라�Nawa-e-Subah바카라� in Srinagar, the result was 바카라�unprecedented바카라�.

바카라�We had expected to get good number of seats, but this kind of mandate from people is extraordinary. There was suffocation in Kashmir in the last five-six years. People have reacted to it democratically. We have been given mandate and NC will put peoples바카라� interest first,바카라� said NC leader Sabiya Qadri, who is also the head of the women바카라�s wing in Kashmir.  

Another NC leader who wished anonymity said the mandate given to the party was 바카라�beyond expectations바카라�. 바카라�It means we have now responsibility to fight for the people who have been left disempowered,바카라� he said.

The top political leaders who have been defeated by NC include BJP바카라�s firebrand leader Ravinder Raina. He has been defeated by Surinder Kumar Choudhary. Raina has called NC a party of 바카라�dynasts바카라� and has been vocal about its top brass바카라�the Abdullahs바카라�accusing them of being responsible for the 바카라�mess바카라� in Kashmir.

Altaf Bukhari of the Apni Party, which emerged in the post-August 5, 2019 scenario in Kashmir, has been defeated by NC바카라�s Mushtaq Guroo. Bukhari was a Minister in the previous PDP-led government. He has been accusing NC of  바카라�all the ills바카라� in Kashmir, holding it responsible for Kashmir바카라�s 바카라�lost dignity and status바카라�.

Bijebehara in south Kashmir, considered PDP바카라�s bastion, also fell in the NC wave. PDP바카라�s firebrand leader Iltija Mufti lost to NC바카라�s Dr Bashir Veeri. The daughter of party chief Mehbooba Mufti had emerged as one of the most vocal politicians after the abrogation of Article 370, vehemently criticising BJP for its 바카라�iron-fist policies바카라� in Jammu and Kashmir at a time when many in the Valley refrained from speaking up. However, this didn바카라�t help her win her maiden election. The voters chose 바카라�hal바카라� (NC바카라�s symbol plough).

Other veterans who lost their seats to NC include Apni Party바카라�s Ghulam Hasan Mir, PDP바카라�s Sartaj Madni, GN Lone, Bashir Ahmed Mir, Aga Muntazir, Nazir Ahmad Khan, Imran Reza Ansari and Abid Ansari.  

However, it was a tough fight for NC in several seats. An analyst in Kashmir cites the case of Pattan seat where NC was able to register victory with a margin of only 600 votes, and of Devsar, where NC won by a margin of  840 votes.