BJP holds Nagrota stronghold, PDP breaks NC’s 67-year grip on Budgam in Bypolls

15/11/2025

JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Nov 14: The bypolls to the Nagrota and Budgam Assembly constituencies in Jammu & Kashmir delivered contrasting outcomes on Thursday, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retaining Nagrota in Jammu while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clinched a historic victory in Budgam, a seat held by the National Conference (NC) since 1957.
The BJP secured a major win in the Nagrota Assembly constituency as 30-year-old Devyani Rana, daughter of late senior party leader and former MLA Devender Singh Rana, clinched the seat with a massive lead of 24,647 votes. She secured 42,350 votes, defeating JKNPP president Harsh Dev Singh, who managed 17,703 votes, while NC's Shamim Begum finished third with 10,872.
The bypoll saw over 75% voter turnout, reflecting high public engagement in the constituency. Counting was held at the Government Polytechnic College, Gandhi Nagar.
Devyani Rana, managing her family's media and automobile businesses and an economics graduate from the University of California, said she aims to bring a "fresh, professional approach" to public life.
She thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, and party cadres for their support, dedicating the victory to her late father.
"We received the same love and blessings that Nagrota had extended to Rana Sahab in 2024. We dedicate this victory to him and reaffirm our commitment to serve the people," she said while celebrating with jubilant BJP workers.
Rana said her focus will be on strengthening villages, panchayats, and the constituency with an inclusive approach to development. Nagrota's political landscape has historically alternated between BJP and NC, with the Congress not fielding a candidate this time.
The bypoll was necessitated following the death of Devender Singh Rana, who won the seat in the 2024 Assembly elections.
In a significant political shift, the PDP's Aga Syed Muntazir won the Budgam Assembly bypoll, defeating NC candidate Aga Syed Mehmood by nearly 4,500 votes. Muntazir secured 21,576 votes, while Mehmood polled 17,098, marking the first time since 1957 that the National Conference failed to win its traditional stronghold.
The BJP's Aga Syed Mohsin finished sixth with 2,619 votes.
Calling the verdict a "people's protest", Muntazir said the result reflects public frustration with the NC's "unfulfilled political and developmental promises".
"This win is the result of 50 years of work. Budgam has finally received a voice that will deliver true representation. The people have voted for change and accountability," he said.
PDP leader Iltija Mufti termed the victory a "win of the people of Budgam", asserting that voters saw through what she called the NC's repeated failures.
"We told people that they gave NC several chances, even elected a chief minister, but promises were never kept. Muntazir will work with sincerity for the betterment of Budgam," she said.
The bypoll became necessary after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah vacated the Budgam seat, opting to retain Ganderbal after winning from both constituencies in 2024.
The contrasting results of the Nagrota and Budgam bypolls highlight the diverse political landscape of Jammu & Kashmir. While the BJP strengthened its base in the Jammu region by securing Nagrota comfortably, the PDP made a remarkable comeback in central Kashmir by breaking the NC's decades-long hold over Budgam.
Political observers view the outcomes as indicative of region-specific priorities-development-centric voting in Jammu and demand for accountability and renewed leadership in Kashmir.

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