Mehbooba lauds Budgam voters, takes swipe at ruling NC in J-K

Elated by her party’s triumph in the Budgam by-polls, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said, “Hats off to the people of Budgam for placing their faith and trust in PDP’s Aga Muntazir Sahab”.

In a jibe at Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, she said, “I want to thank the people of Budgam for sidelining the government’s 50 MLAs and giving a chance to PDP. I pray to God to give us the strength to stand up to the expectations of the people of Budgam. Aga Muntazir Mehdi sb’s doors have and will always be open for the people.

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“The party that brought 50 MLAs to campaign from village to village was rejected in Budgam. Congratulations to the people of Budgam,” she said.

In a statement, the PDP said Budgam has delivered a verdict that cannot be sugar-coated.

“A seat held by the Chief Minister himself was rejected by the people the moment it was opened to a fair contest. This defeat is not just electoral, it is moral. It reflects people’s disillusionment with arrogance, old entitlement, and politics centred around power instead of people.

“The voters have reminded the National Conference that Kashmiris cannot be taken for granted, and that legitimacy comes from service, not slogans. Budgam’s rejection is a warning that the era of unchallenged hegemony and manufactured narratives is over,” it added.

PDP MLA Waheed Para said “Budgam didn’t vote, it delivered Kashmir’s message”. This is a referendum on the performance of the government, he said.