Bijbehara Results 2024: PDP's Iltija Mufti concedes defeat in Bijbehara

National Conference (NC) candidate Bashir Ahmad Shah Veeri was leading with over 3,700 votes as of 11:45 am, following seven rounds of vote counting

Iltija Mufti, daughter of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehbooba Mufti, has conceded defeat in her first election, contesting for the Srigufwara-Bijbehara seat in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections 2024.

In a post on X (previously Twitter), she acknowledged the result, stating, “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.”

Meanwhile, National Conference (NC) candidate Bashir Ahmad Shah Veeri is leading with over 3,700 votes as of 11:45 am, following seven rounds of vote counting.

Earlier, Mehbooba Mufti had emphasised that her party’s backing was essential for forming the next government in Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that the region would have a secular government, and it would not be formed without PDP’s involvement. She declared, “There will never be a BJP government in the region.”

As of 11:45 am, the National Conference-Congress alliance had gained a strong lead, holding 52 seats and surpassing the majority threshold, while the BJP trailed with 26 seats. PDP, however, had a poor showing, leading in only three seats.

Vote counting began on Tuesday for the 90 constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, marking the final step toward establishing the region’s first elected government since the revocation of Article 370 in 2019. These were the first Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir since 2014, held in three phases, with a 64 per cent voter turnout.

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What did exit polls suggest for Jammu and Kashmir?

The India Today-C Voter exit poll predicted that BJP would secure 23-27 seats, while the NC-Congress alliance was expected to win between 40-48 seats. PDP was projected to get 6-12 seats, with other parties taking 6-11 seats. The elections, held in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, recorded a voter turnout of 63.45 per cent. Turnout was 61 per cent in the first phase, 57.3 per cent in the second, and 68.72 per cent in the third phase.