Srinagar: The Budgam Assembly by-election, set for November 11, 2025, has emerged as one of the most closely watched contests in Jammu and Kashmir, pitting members of the influential Agha family against each other.
The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) candidate, Agha Syed Mehmood, will face his nephew, Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi, representing the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in a constituency with a predominantly Shia electorate.
The bypoll was necessitated after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who won the 2024 elections from both Budgam and Ganderbal, retained the Ganderbal seat. Budgam, a traditional NC-PDP stronghold, has now become the stage for a family showdown.
In addition to the Agha family duel, other candidates include BJP’s Aga Syed Mohsin, independent Muntazir Mohiuddin, and nominees from smaller parties such as the Aam Aadmi Party and Awami Itehad Party, introducing potential fragmentation in votes.
Analysts say the crowded field could make the contest unpredictable, despite the historical dominance of NC and PDP in the constituency.
Aga Syed Mehmood expressed confidence ahead of the elections, pointing to his long-standing connection with the constituency and the party’s organizational strength. “The National Conference has a deep-rooted presence here. I am focused on engaging with voters and presenting our development agenda,” he said.
Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi had set a deadline of October 19 for the Omar Abdullah-led Jammu and Kashmir government to release the Reservation Sub-Committee Report, stressing that no decisions on the Budgam by-election should be taken until the report was made public. With the deadline now passed, JKNC candidate Agha Syed Mehmood said that Ruhullah has no reason to distance himself from campaigning for the party in Budgam.
Mehmood described Ruhullah as “like a son” and added that he has been in regular contact with him, expressing confidence that Ruhullah will actively support the NC campaign despite the delay in the report.
Observers call a drama ahead as Ruhullah Mehdi has yet to take a final call on Mehmood’s campaigning remarks.
Muntazir Mehdi, the younger contender, had narrowly lost to Omar Abdullah in the 2024 Assembly polls by 18,000 votes.
He hopes to capitalize on perceived anti-incumbency sentiment and his appeal among younger voters.
His campaign emphasizes change and local development issues, seeking to carve a space in a constituency historically dominated by his uncle’s party.
Meanwhile, Muntazir Mohiddin, who recently parted ways with the Apni Party, has entered the race as an independent, a move that led to his expulsion from the party. In the 2014 elections, Mohiddin had secured over 20,000 votes, signaling his ability to influence the vote share in Budgam.
With family rivalries and multiple contenders in the fray, the Budgam by-election is expected to be a closely contested poll.(KNS).
