J&K Assembly Election Results 2024 LIVE: Iltija Mufti concedes defeat in Srigufwara-Bijbehara against NC's Bashir Shah

Iltija Mufti, the 36-year-old daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, has conceded defeat in Bijbehara-Srigufwara, the Mufti family stronghold. She was up against a formidable opponent: National Conference (NC) veteran Bashir Ahmad Shah. 

Mufti was trailing from her constituency by over 4,330 votes against Bashir Ahmad Shah. 

"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 said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). 

For the Mufti family, Bijbehara-Srigufwara holds deep personal and political significance. It has been represented by two generations of the Muftis, making it the epicenter of their political influence in Kashmir. However, Iltija herself has not spent much time in the constituency, a fact that adds complexity to her campaign. Her party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is relying heavily on its past developmental work to secure a victory.

As per various news reports, Iltija and her party still commands a major respect, with many saying that the party has indeed initiated many developmental projects in the past 25 years. The people believe that these efforts have left a lasting impact on the community.

The Bijbehara-Srigufwara constituency has historically been a stronghold for the PDP. Despite losing the larger Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat in the recent Lok Sabha elections, the PDP maintained a lead in this assembly segment, securing 20,792 votes compared to the NC’s 17,698. Since 1996, the Mufti family has successfully defended the constituency in every assembly election, a testament to their deep-rooted influence.

However, the political landscape is shifting. Over the past decade, the National Conference has been making inroads into the area. Bashir Ahmad Veeri, the NC candidate, has lost twice in a row from this constituency, but his supporters are confident that 2024 will be different. "PDP may have been strong here in the past, but NC has gained serious ground. This election will be a real competition," says Waseem Mushtaq, a former PDP worker.

Veeri, whose father represented Bijbehara-Srigufwara three times on an NC ticket, is banking on anti-incumbency against the PDP. "In 2014, even with the PDP wave, they barely won, and they manipulated things to secure the seat," Veeri alleges. His campaign focuses on reminding voters of the PDP’s controversial alliance with the BJP after the 2014 elections, a move that many in Kashmir have not forgiven. “They took votes to keep the BJP away and then formed a government with them. The people will remember that when they cast their votes,” Veeri says.

While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also fielded a candidate—former legislator Sufi Yusuf—locals acknowledge that the real contest will be between the NC and the PDP. "PDP is counting on the work it has done and hoping for a high voter turnout in Bijbehara’s urban areas," explains Abdul Rashid Dar, a resident of Sirhama, the largest village in the constituency. "Meanwhile, NC is relying on the decade-long efforts of Veeri, who has been closely engaging with the community. It’s going to be a tight race."

For Iltija Mufti, this election is more than just a political contest—it is a battle to uphold her family’s legacy. But with the NC’s growing presence and the lingering discontent over the PDP’s past decisions, her path to victory is anything but assured. The outcome of this closely watched race could redefine the future of both the Muftis and the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir.