In a significant setback in the 2024 Lok Sabha election results from Jammu and Kashmir, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, has admitted defeat in the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat. Jailed independent candidate Er Rashid has extended his lead to over 1.34.
Taking to X, Omar said, “I think it’s time to accept the inevitable. Congratulations to Engineer Rashid for his victory in North Kashmir.” “I don’t believe his victory will hasten his release from prison nor will the people of North Kashmir get the representation they have a right to but the voters have spoken and in a democracy that’s all that matters.”
I think it’s time to accept the inevitable. Congratulations to Engineer Rashid for his victory in North Kashmir. I don’t believe his victory will hasten his release from prison nor will the people of North Kashmir get the representation they have a right to but the voters have…
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 4, 2024
The high-stakes Baramulla contest witnessed a three-way fight between Rashid, Omar Abdullah of the National Conference (NC), and Sajad Gani Lone of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples’ Conference (JKPC). Lone found himself in a distant third position, garnering 96,387 votes as of the latest ECI figures.
As the counting of votes continues for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Baramulla seat has emerged as a significant battleground, with the jailed independent candidate Rashid leading against his nearest rival, Omar Abdullah, by a margin of over 61,000 votes as of 12 PM on Tuesday. Abdullah had secured over 78,000 votes, while the BJP-backed Sajad Lone had obtained nearly 56,000 votes.
The Baramulla parliamentary constituency went to the polls on May 20 during the fifth phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. For the first time, the district of Budgam’s Beerwah and Budgam assembly constituencies also voted in the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat. The constituency witnessed a historic voter turnout of 59.10 percent, the highest since the 1967 elections. Out of the 1.73 million eligible voters, approximately 1.04 million cast their ballots for the 22 candidates contesting the seat.
Who is Er Rashid?
Engineer Sheikh Abdul Rashid, also known as Engineer Rashid, is an Indian politician and a former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Rashid began his political journey in 2008 after resigning from his job as a construction engineer. Following a 17-day campaign, he won the constituency seat of Langate in Handwara town, located in the Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir. He is the founder and ‘patron’ of the Jammu and Kashmir Awami Ittehad Party.
In 2005, Rashid was arrested by the Special Operations Group (SOG) in Srinagar for supporting militants. He was subsequently jailed for three months and 17 days on charges of anti-national activities. However, later, the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Srinagar dropped all charges against him on humanitarian grounds.
According to Rashid, he was arrested by a motley group of counter-insurgents closely associated with the State police. After five months of custody, he negotiated his release by selling his cow, goats, and father’s property. Remarkably, he has filed his nomination form to contest the 2024 parliamentary election from jail.
Engineer Rashid faced attacks during his political career. In 2015, he was assaulted by BJP MLAs inside the Jammu and Kashmir assembly for hosting a party where he served beef on the lawns of the government circuit. This move was in opposition to the controversial central government order banning beef in India.
Additionally, he was attacked with black ink at the Press Club in New Delhi by BJP cadets after making critical comments regarding the lynching of a Kashmiri truck driver in Udhampur.
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