Ganderbal Assembly Poll Results LIVE: Omar Abdullah Leading By 8558 Votes

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah is leading on both Ganderbal by 8558 against his nearest rival Bashir Ahmad MIR from the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democractic Party.

Sheikh Khursheed, brother of Lok Sabha member Shiekh Abdul Rashid, is trailing by 455 votes behind People's Conference candidate Irfan Sultan Panditpuri. Apni Party founder Altaf Bukhari is also trailing in the Chanapora constituency where NC's Mushtaq Guroo has taken lead.

Located within the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, Ganderbal has historically been a stronghold for the National Conference (NC), represented by prominent members of the Abdullah family.

The electoral landscape in Ganderbal is marked by a close contest, further intensified by the candidacy of Bashir Mir of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Despite Mir's two unsuccessful attempts from the neighbouring Kangan seat, his nomination for Ganderbal has invigorated the PDP's base, although it has also sparked discontent among some party members. Mir's local hero status, earned through his involvement in multiple rescue operations in the Sindh River, adds a unique dynamic to his candidacy.

Omar Abdullah's history with Ganderbal traces back to a challenging journey. Initially defeated in 2002 by the PDP's Qazi Mohammad Afzal, he reclaimed the seat in 2008, becoming Jammu and Kashmir's youngest chief minister. His decision in 2014 to nominate Ishfaq Jabbar, a newcomer to the NC, for Ganderbal marked a strategic shift. Jabbar's victory, followed by his expulsion from the party in April 2023 for anti-party activities, underscores the unpredictable nature of this constituency's political landscape.

This year's election in Ganderbal is far from straightforward, with 15 candidates in the fray, including major players like Bashir Ahmad Mir (JKPDP) and Omar Abdullah (JKNC). With a total voter base of 129,013, evenly divided between 64,109 male and 64,904 female voters, the turnout was 57.12%. The gender gap in voter turnout was evident, with 61.50% of men voting compared to 52.80% of women. This discrepancy highlights an ongoing challenge in achieving gender parity in electoral participation.

The complexity of Ganderbal's electoral battle is heightened by the presence of Ishfaq Jabbar, now an Independent, and the candidacies of Sarjan Wagay, a jailed cleric, and Sheikh Ashiq from Engineer Rashid's Awami Ittehad Party.

Omar Abdullah has dismissed both Wagay and Rashid as "BJP's agents" and potential vote splitters, signalling a contentious fight for votes. Despite facing the "outsider" accusation from the PDP in the past, Abdullah's position is somewhat bolstered against such claims this time, given Mir's candidacy from a different assembly segment.

Yet, the entrance of Jabbar, Wagay, and Ashiq adds layers of intrigue and challenge to Abdullah's campaign, making the electoral contest in Ganderbal all the more compelling. In conclusion, Ganderbal's electoral scene is a microcosm of Jammu and Kashmir's dynamic political landscape.

With Omar Abdullah seeking to reclaim a seat of familial and political significance, the competition is fierce. The involvement of local heroes, former party colleagues turned rivals, and new entrants accused of being vote cutters, combined with the nuanced voter demographics, makes this election a critical juncture for Ganderbal and its representation.