Awami Ittehad Party leader Sheikh Rashid Ahmad's -- also known as Engineer Rashid -- surprising victory over National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah and People's Conference leader Sajad Lone from the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency was the most startling poll result from the Union Territory.
Engineer Rashid has been imprisoned in Tihar jail since 2019 on terror funding charges, and did not campaign in person.
Abrar Rashid, his son, who campaigned for his father and drew large crowds wherever he went, never missed an opportunity to point towards his father's 'unjust' arrest by the central agencies.
IMAGE: Abrar Rashid secures his father's winning certificate from the returning officer, June 4, 2024.
Engineer Rashid polled 472,481 votes, defeating Omar (268,339 votes) by 204,142 votes.
Lone, whose candidature was reportedly tacitly backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party, came in third with 173,239 votes. All photographs: Umar Ganie for Rediff.com
Engineer Rashid polled 472,481 votes, defeating Omar (268,339 votes) by 204,142 votes.
Lone, whose candidature was reportedly tacitly backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party, came in third with 173,239 votes. All photographs: Umar Ganie for Rediff.com
IMAGE: Mian Altaf, the National Conference candidate from the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency, receives his winning certificate from the returning officer.
Altaf defeated former J&K CM and People's Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti by 281,794 votes.
Altaf polled 521,836 votes to Mehbooba's 240,042 votes.
Altaf defeated former J&K CM and People's Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti by 281,794 votes.
Altaf polled 521,836 votes to Mehbooba's 240,042 votes.
