Kupwara, Oct 08 (KNO): The assembly elections in Kupwara district saw a closely fought battle as the National Conference (NC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and People’s Conference (JKPC) contested fiercely across multiple constituencies.
According to the news agency — Kashmir News Observer (KNO), NC and PDP each claimed victories in a series of tightly contested seats, while Sajad Gani Lone of PC emerged as a key figure in the district’s political landscape.
In Langate, Khursheed Ahmed Sheikh, Awami Ittehad Party president Er Rashid's brother, emerged victorious, securing 25,984 votes and defeating his opponent Irfan Sultan Pandithpuri by a margin of 1,602 votes. Kalimullah Lone, a Jamaat-backed candidate, finished third with 3,535 votes.
In Kupwara, Mir Mohammad Fayaz of PDP secured a decisive win, receiving 27,773 votes, while Nasir Aslam Wani of the National Conference trailed behind with 17,976 votes, marking a margin of 9,797 votes. Sajad Gani Lone, who was also contesting in this constituency, garnered 7,457 votes.
The most closely watched race was in Handwara, where Sajad Lone claimed victory with 29,812 votes, narrowly defeating NC’s Chowdhry Mohammad Ramzan by just 662 votes. Ramzan secured 29,150 votes, making it one of the tightest contests in the district.
In Lolab, Qaysar Jamshaid Lone of NC won by a comfortable margin of 7,871 votes, securing 19,603 votes against Dawood Bashir Bhat, an independent candidate backed by AIP, who managed 11,732 votes. PDP’s Waqar ul Haq Khan finished third with 10,508 votes.
In Trehgam, NC’s Saifullah Mir won the seat with 18,002 votes, defeating Bashir Ahmed Dar of JKPC by a margin of 3,626 votes. Dar secured 14,376 votes in the contest.
In Karnah, Javaid Ahmed Mirchal of NC won with 14,294 votes, defeating his opponent Naseer Ahmed Awan by a margin of 6,262 votes. Awan, an independent candidate, received 8,032 votes, while PDP’s Firdous Ahmed Mir trailed with 6,354 votes.
Notably, north Kashmir comprises six assembly constituencies including Karnah, Tregham, Kupwara, Lolab, Handwara and Langate, with a total of 59 candidates in the fray.
Surprisingly, Kupwara witnessed diverse political outcomes, with a mixture of victories for NC, PDP, and JKPC, which showcases shifting dynamics and voter sentiment across the region. (KNO)