The National Conference (NC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the BJP have all named members of the Shia clergy as candidates for the Assembly by-polls to Budgam in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The NC has named Agha Syed Mehmood as the party candidate for the Budgam Assembly election. The party extends best wishes to him for a successful campaign,” a NC spokesman said.
Mr. Mehmood is the son of Shia cleric Syed Yousuf Al-Moosavi Al-Safavi, who founded the Anjuman-e-Sharie organisation.
The PDP has named Agha Syed Muntazir Mehdi. “He will file his nomination tomorrow at 12 p.m.,” a PDP spokesman said.
Mr. Mehdi is the son of a Shia cleric, Agha Syed Hassan, also a Hurriyat leader.
The BJP has already named Agha Syed Mohsin, son of a Shia cleric. “Mr. Mohsin will be accompanied by the Leader of Opposition and MLA Sunil Sharma and BJP State and district leaders on Monday (October 20),” a BJP spokesman said.
This is the first time that Budgam, which has a sizable Shia population, will see three candidates from the Shia clergy contesting the by-polls. The seat fell vacant after NC leader Omar Abdullah, who contested the 2024 Assembly elections from two constituencies, decided to retain the Ganderbal seat.
Budgam will go to the polls on November 11.
Published – October 19, 2025 11:49 pm IST
