Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): In a major upset in the Lok Sabha election 2024 result from Jammu and Kashmir, jailed Awami Ittehad Party chief, Engineer Rashid, who was contesting as an independent in the election, defeated former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat with a huge margin of over 2 lakh votes.
According to the data released by the ECI, Rashid secured 472481 votes while his nearest rival Omar obtained 268339 giving him a winning lead of 204142 votes. People's Conference Chief Sajad Gani Lone ended up as the 2nd runner up with 173239 votes while PDP's Mir Fayaz was the 3rd runner up with 27488 votes.
Rashid's big win overpowering heavyweights is seen as a major upset in Kashmir politics more so when he is lodged at Tihar jail in Delhi since 2019 in the aftermath of the Article 370 abrogation. His two sons campaigned on behalf of their father and linked Rashid's win with his release from jail.
While analysts were expecting the contest to be tight, nobody really gave Rashid any chance to win the election.
Conceding defeat, Omar Abdullah took to X saying, "I think it’s time to accept the inevitable. Congratulations to Engineer Rashid for his victory in North Kashmir."
He, however, expressed aprehension regarding release of Er Rashid from Tihar jail.
"I don’t believe his victory will hasten his release from prison nor will the people of North Kashmir get the representation they have a right to but the voters have spoken and in a democracy that’s all that matters."
People's Conference Chief and party candidate for Baramulla Lok Sabha seat Sajad Lone also accepted defeat.
"With all humility at my command I accept defeat. And it is time to congratulate Engineer Rashid. I wanted to make a difference. I thought we should be empowered economically , socially and politically to be able to make a difference and be counted. We had suffered a lot in the past 30 yrs and been robbed of all our dignity. The people’s mandate is supreme. I accept the people mandate with all humility," Lone said in a post on X.
Baramulla (Incumbent: Mohammad Akbar Lone -NC)
2024 contest: Omar Abdullah, former CM (National Conference) Vs Er Rashid(Independent) Vs Sajjad Lone (People's Conference)
Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla parliamentary constituency went to the polls on May 20, during the fifth phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. For the first time, the district Budgam's Beerwah and Budgam assembly constituencies voted in the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat. Baramulla witnessed a historic voter turnout of 59.10 percent, the highest since the 1967 elections. Of the 1.73 million eligible voters, approximately 1.04 million cast their ballots for the 22 candidates.
The Baramulla constituency includes 18 assembly segments: six in Kupwara (Karnah, Trehgam, Kupwara, Lolab, Handwara, and Langate), seven in Baramulla (Sopore, Rafiabad, Uri, Baramulla, Gulmarg, Wagoora-Kreeri, and Pattan), three in Bandipora (Sonwari, Bandipora, and Gurez), and two in Budgam post-delimitation.
Since 1957, Baramulla has been represented by 11 members in Parliament. Shaikh Mohammed Akbar of the Indian National Congress was the first representative. The Congress held the seat through 1971 with Syed Ahmed Aga's victories. In 1977, Abdul Ahad Vakil of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference won, marking a shift, but Congress regained control with Khwaja Mubarak Shah in 1980. Saifuddin Soz of the National Conference represented Baramulla in 1983, 1984, and 1989. Ghulam Rasool Kar of Congress won in 1996, but Soz returned in 1998, followed by Abdul Rashid Shaheen in 1999 and 2004. Sharifuddin Shariq of the National Conference won in 2009, but in 2014, Muzaffar Hussain Baig of the Jammu & Kashmir People's Democratic Party took the seat. Mohammad Akbar Lone of the National Conference reclaimed it in 2019.
In the 2024 election, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Vice-President of the National Conference, is a prominent candidate. Omar, 53, holds a commerce degree from Sydenham College, Mumbai, and has served as an MP and MLA. His income tax payments fluctuated over the past five years, peaking at Rs 19,39,620 in 2022-23. Separated with pending divorce proceedings, Omar has no criminal record and declared assets totaling Rs 54.45 lakh.
The Baramulla race is competitive, with candidates like Sajad Gani Lone of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples' Conference and jailed candidate Abdul Rashid Sheikh, whose sons have energised his campaign.
2024 polls: The total number of registered voters in this constituency in 2024 polls was 1737865, and the seat saw a voting turnout of 59.10% (1027084 total count of votes), according to the Election Commission’s data. The seat went to polls in phase 5 on May 20, 2024.
- Read more: Historic Voter Turnout: J&K's Baramulla Sees Record around 60%, Ladakh at 67.15%
- Lok Sabha Election 2024: Record 54.21% Voter Turnout in Baramulla Till 5 PM; 67.15% in Ladakh
