In an anticipated move, the Election Commission of India on Monday announced the schedule for by-election to Budgam and Nagrota Assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir along with Bihar Assembly election 2025.
Addressing a press conference, Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, announced that the by-election to two seats in J&K will be held on November 11, while counting will be held on November 14.
The Poll Body also announced the schedule for Bihar election 2025 along with the by-election schedule to some other seats in other states as well.Much to the satisfaction of J&K political parties,especially those having strong stakes on the two Assembly segments, the formal announcement will not push already initiated political activity into momentum.
The Budgam seat fell vacant after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah vacated it and retained Ganderbal seat after winning from both the seats in the Assembly election last year.The Nagrota seat fell vacant after the death of BJP leader Devender Singh Rana on October 31 last year, just a couple of weeks after the Assembly election result was declared in Jammu and Kashmir.
Devinder Rana's daughter Devyani Rana is a likely candidate for the seat. The Nagrota assembly seat is expected to witness a direct contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and ruling National Conference-led alliance (NC).Meanwhile, the Budgam seat, which has remained a stronghold of the National Conference (NC) since the early 1960s, fell vacant after current Chief Minister Omar Abdullah retained his Ganderbal seat. The party is confident always during the polls that that Budgam never voted against the NC .
However, as it goes that in politics nothing remains permanent, the scene may not remain completely in favour of NC for just more than one reason. Political analysts say NC shall have to settle things in order in its own house first on account of rebellious conduct of MP Aga Ruhulla who is said to be yielding good hold on its traditional vote bank.
So this time, Budgam constituency is likely to see a triangular contest involving the NC, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and the People’s Alliance for Change coalition, comprising the People’s Conference, People’s Democratic Front, and Justice and Development Front (JDF).
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