666 Candidates out of 873 lose deposit, maximum from PDP
Over 71 per cent candidates of the PDP forfeited their deposits as the regional outfit was decimated at the hustings on Tuesday with only three candidates making it to the maiden assembly of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.
Out of 873 candidates who ran for the 90 assembly seats, 666 candidates — 76.28 per cent of the total, forfeited deposits. This has earned the Election Commission of India an amount little more than Rs 1.60 crore.
The PDP fielded the highest number of 80 candidates in this election with 57 of them losing their deposits. In Kashmir, where the party founded by former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and his daughter Mehbooba Mufti has its base, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was routed and reduced from 28 seats in 2014 to just three seats this time.
According to the Election Commission of India data, the PDP fielded candidates on 46 of the 47 seats in the valley. Out of these, 25 candidates forfeited their deposit while 17 other candidates stood second in their constituencies.
In Jammu, the PDP did not win a single seat and only two of its 34 candidates managed to get more than one-sixth of the total votes polled in their respective constituencies. The remaining 32 forfeited their deposits.
The BJP, which fielded 62 candidates across the Union Territory, won 29 seats and 19 of its candidates had to forfeit their deposits.
In Kashmir, the saffron party fielded 19 candidates and all but one had to forego their deposit money. Faqir Mohammad Khan, the BJP aspirant from Gurez, was the only candidate to get more than one-sixth of the polled votes. Khan stood second in the race, losing by a margin of just 1,132 votes.
Prominent among those who forfeited the deposit money were People’s Conference president Sajad Gani Lone (Kupwara), former deputy chief minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig (Baramulla), Baigs’s wife Safina Baig (Wagoora-Kreeri), former ministers Abdul Gani Vakil (Rafiabad), Mohammad Ashraf Mir (Lal Chowk) and Aijaz Guroo (Sopore), the brother of Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guroo.
Out of the 47 seats in the Valley, five seats saw all the contestants except the winner forfeit their deposits. These segments are Sopore, Baramulla, Habbakadal, Lal Chowk and Central Shalteng.
Election Overview
The 2024 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections were the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The elections were held in three phases, covering all 90 constituencies in the Union Territory. The Congress-National Conference (NC) alliance emerged victorious, securing a comfortable majority with 48 seats, just two more than the required majority mark.
PDP’s Struggles
The PDP, led by Mehbooba Mufti, faced a significant setback in these elections. Despite the party’s efforts to regain its foothold in the region, it managed to win only three seats. The party’s poor performance is reflected in the high number of candidates who lost their deposits. This indicates a lack of voter confidence and support for the PDP in this election cycle.
Independent Candidates and Smaller Parties
Interestingly, independent candidates performed better than the PDP, securing seven seats in the assembly. This highlights a shift in voter preference towards independent voices and smaller parties, which some see as proxies for larger political entities.
Key Winners and Losers
The Congress-NC alliance’s success can be attributed to its strong campaign and voter outreach. Omar Abdullah, a prominent leader of the NC, won his seats in Budgam and Ganderbal with significant margins, further solidifying the alliance’s position.
On the other hand, Engineer Rashid’s Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) and the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) failed to make a significant impact. Despite the hype surrounding their alliance, they managed to secure only one seat, with Engineer Rashid’s brother, Sheikh Khurshid, winning in north Kashmir’s Langate.
Implications for Future Elections
The results of the 2024 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections have several implications for the region’s political landscape. The dominance of the Congress-NC alliance and the poor performance of the PDP suggest a shift in voter sentiment. The rise of independent candidates also indicates a desire for new and diverse political voices.
Bottom-line: The 2024 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections have been a pivotal moment for the Union Territory. With a significant number of candidates losing their deposits and the PDP facing a major setback, the political dynamics in the region are set to change. The Congress-NC alliance’s victory and the rise of independent candidates highlight the evolving preferences of the electorate.
