Pulwama, Oct 08: Jamaat-e-Islamia’s (JeI) much-anticipated return to Jammu and Kashmir’s electoral politics after 37 years ended in disappointment, as JeI-backed independent candidates failed to secure any victories in the recent assembly elections.
Despite contesting in 10 constituencies across the Kashmir Valley, the results were far from promising, with no candidate managing to win a seat.
In Kulgam, JeI-backed candidate Sayyar Ahmad Reshi came closest to causing an upset but ultimately lost to Communist Party of India (Marxist) veteran Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, who retained his seat for the fifth consecutive term. Reshi secured 25,797 votes but lost by a margin of 7,838 votes to Tarigami.
In Wachi (now Zainapora), former People’s Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Aijaz Ahmad Mir, who ran as an independent with JeI’s support, also failed to secure victory. Mir polled 15,018 votes but was defeated by the National Conference’s (NC) Showkat Hussain Ganie by a significant margin of 13,233 votes.
In Pulwama, JeI-backed candidate Dr. Talat Majid Ali, who received considerable media attention during his campaign, managed only 1,833 votes and finished third. The seat was retained by the PDP for the fourth consecutive term, with 24,716 votes, while the NC candidate finished second.
Similarly, in Devsar constituency, JeI-backed Nazir Ahmad Bhat secured 5,938 votes, finishing fourth. The seat was won by NC’s Peerzada Feroze Ahmad, who secured 18,230 votes.
Kalimullah Lone, son of former JeI general secretary Ghulam Qadir Lone, finished fifth in Langate, polling 3,535 votes and trailing by a wide margin of 22,449 votes.
Mohammad Skinder Malik contested as a JeI-backed independent candidate from Bandipora, finishing in sixth place with 2,411 votes. He trailed the winner by 17,980 votes.
Though JeI had entered into a pre-poll alliance with the Awami IItehad Party, led by Sheikh Abdul Rashid, the results didn’t go in their favour.
