Srinagar: Early trends for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Election Results 2024 show Jamaat-e-Islami-backed candidates trailing in all constituencies where they competed in Kashmir.
The banned outfit had fielded 10 candidates, including Sayar Reshi from Kulgam, against the political veteran and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPIM) leader MY Tarigami.
A three-time legislator from the constituency, Tarigami is leading by a margin of over 4000 votes, according to the trends.
In the neighbouring Pulwama constituency, another Jamaat-supported candidate, Talat Majid Alie, was trailing with above 20,000 votes.
Likewise, 346 candidates were contesting as independents in the 90 seats of Jammu and Kashmir. But only six of them are leading this time from Shopian, Udhampur East, Bani, Chamb, Thanamandi, and Surankote.
The counting of votes started at 8:00 AM amid a thin presence of security. The party offices in Kashmir were decked up with banners on the big day, as celebrations are expected at the National Conference headquarters. The party is leading the show with 41 seats, while two candidates have already been declared winners.
The 34 independent candidates of the unregistered Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) led by Engineer Rashid are trailing as well. In Langate, the home constituency of Rashid, his brother Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh is trailing behind the J&K Peoples Conference candidate Irfan Pandithpuri.
To recall, Khurshid quit the government job and made his electoral debut from the seat, which was retained by Engineer Rashid twice, in 2008 and 2014.
Meanwhile, Iltija Mufti, the daughter of former Chief Minister and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, conceded defeat after six of the 12 rounds of vote counting, as she is trailing behind National Conference candidate Bashir Ahmad Veeri in the Srigufwara-Bijbehara constituency.
She was facing a tough challenge in her electoral debut, with Veeri leading by more than 31000 votes, according to the ECI.
Taking to X, Iltija acknowledged her loss, saying, "I accept the verdict of the people. The love and affection I received from everyone in Bijbehara will always stay with me. Gratitude to my PDP workers who worked so hard throughout this campaign."
She punctuated her message with a green heart, symbolising PDP's party colour.
In a poignant earlier post, Iltija shared a nostalgic photo of her with her grandfather, the late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, in front of the Taj Mahal.
Reflecting on the memory, she wrote, “Sunny yahan ayain photo ke liye. In 2015, when you insisted we take a picture in front of the Taj, I hesitatingly agreed. I’m glad you persevered because it turned out to be our last photographic memory."
She paid tribute to her maternal grandfather, writing, "You epitomised wisdom, grace, magnanimity, and dignity. Whatever I know, whatever I am, is all because of you. I wish you were here today. The best grandfather there will ever be. We miss you.”
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