Political Shift in Anantnag:NC dominates, PDP loses ground

Anantnag, Oct 8:
In a significant political shift in Jammu and Kashmir, the National Conference (NC) has asserted its dominance in the Anantnag district during the assembly elections, clinching five out of seven seats. Its alliance partner, the Indian National Congress (INC), secured the remaining two constituencies, leaving the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) without a single win in its traditional stronghold.
In a closely watched contest, Bashir Ahmad Shah Veeri of the NC emerged victorious in the Srigufwara-Bijbehara constituency, defeating Iltija Mehbooba Mufti, daughter of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, by a margin of 9,770 votes.
In the Anantnag (main) constituency, Peerzada Mohammad Syed of the INC secured the seat, edging out PDP’s Mehboob Beg by a narrow margin of 1,686 votes.
The Anantnag West constituency saw a decisive win for NC’s Abdul Majeed Larmi, who defeated PDP’s Abdul Gaffar Sofi by 10,434 votes.
INC’s Gulam Ahmad Mir triumphed in Dooru, garnering 44,270 votes against PDP’s Mohammad Ashraf Malik, who managed only 14,542 votes. Mir’s emphatic victory came with a margin of 29,728 votes.
In the Kokernag (ST) seat, Zafar Ali Khatana of the NC won by 6,162 votes, defeating Haroon Rashid Khatana of the PDP.
The Pahalgam constituency was claimed by NC’s Altaf Ahmad Wani, who secured 26,210 votes, defeating J&K Apni Party’s Rafi Ahmed Mir, who garnered 12,454 votes, by a margin of 13,756 votes.
NC’s dominance continued in Shangus, where Reyaz Ahmad Khan won with 30,345 votes, defeating senior PDP leader Abdul Rehman Veeri, who received 15,813 votes, sealing a victory margin of 14,532 votes.
With the National Conference and Congress sweeping the district, the PDP’s failure to secure a single seat in its once-strong bastion raises questions about the party’s waning influence in Anantnag, a region it once considered its political heartland.