Budgam, Oct 22: As political temperatures rise ahead of the Budgam by-polls, National Conference (NC) candidate Aga Syed Mahmood Al Mosavi has made a pointed yet confident remark about Srinagar MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, saying the latter “will do what is politically and ethically right for him and the party.”
Speaking exclusively to Greater Kashmir during the GK Dialogue, Aga Mahmood struck a candid tone, acknowledging the “crisis of trust” in Budgam and admitting that decades of neglect have left the district on the fringes of development.
“Budgam has been largely neglected all these years. On the development front, the constituency lacks big time,” he said.
“People here feel politically orphaned, despite the fact that our party has held power. They have expectations, and they are questioning the system.”
The seasoned politician, who has represented Pattan (1987) and Beerwah (1996) constituencies and served as MLC till 2017, said the upcoming by-election poses a “biggest challenge” for the party to reconnect with disenchanted voters.
“It is going to be a tough battle,” he admitted. “We will reach out to people with a strong, development-driven manifesto. Budgam deserves better.”
Calling on influential party figure, Aga Ruhullah, to step forward, Mahmood said:
“Although I haven’t spoken to Ruhullah yet — he’s in Delhi, I will reach out to him. Woh party ka banda hai. He will definitely do whatever is right for us as a party.”
The remarks come amid visible strains within the NC, as Ruhullah has publicly expressed displeasure with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s “passive stand” on critical issues, particularly the reservation policy. Ruhullah recently said he would vote for the NC but not campaign unless the government makes its stance on the reservation report public.
The bypoll, scheduled for November 11, promises a multi-cornered contest with candidates from BJP, PDP, AIP, Apni Party, and several independents in the fray. However, the most closely watched battle is expected between Aga Mahmood (NC) and Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi (PDP) — both from prominent clerical families of Budgam.
Muntazir, an advocate by profession, had lost to Omar Abdullah in the 2024 assembly elections by 18,000 votes. Omar’s subsequent resignation from the Budgam seat paved the way for this bypoll, where 1.26 lakh voters are expected to decide the future of one of Kashmir’s most politically symbolic constituencies.
With family ties, political legacies, and party rifts intertwining, Budgam’s bypoll is shaping up to be more than just an electoral contest — it’s turning into a test of loyalty, leadership, and legacy within Kashmir’s oldest political party.
Aga Syed Mahmood, who was also part of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as it’s senior Vice-president, while commenting on the former Chief Minister and PDP patron, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, recalling him as “a great administrator, an astute politician, and an able governor.”
Reflecting on his time working alongside Mufti Sayeed, Mahmood said, “He knew how to govern. The moment he decided to take any decision, he would stand by it and ensure its execution. I truly enjoyed working with him.”
