2 ex-CMs bite the dust, Kashmir voters deliver a stinging rebuke

Omar, Mehbooba face humiliating defeats 

Srinagar, June 4: The Lok Sabha election marked a major shift in the region’s politics on Tuesday when Er Abdul Rashid, a jailed leader, won the North Kashmir Lok Sabha Constituency, while two former chief ministers, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, suffered huge losses.

Kashmir Valley has three Lok Sabha constituencies. National Conference leaders Aga Rahullah and Mian Altaf won the Srinagar (Central Kashmir) and Anantnag (South Kashmir) Lok Sabha constituencies, respectively.
Similarly, jailed leader Er Rashid emerged as the winner from the Baramulla (North Kashmir) constituency.
Er Rashid, who defeated Omar Abdullah, is currently lodged in Tihar Jail. He was arrested in 2019 in a terror funding case. His two sons led his campaign, asking people to vote to facilitate his release from jail.
After his loss, Omar said, “I think it’s time to accept the inevitable. Congratulations to Engineer Rashid for his victory in North Kashmir. I don’t believe his victory will hasten his release from prison nor will the people of North Kashmir get the representation they have a right to, but the voters have spoken, and in a democracy, that’s all that matters.”
Similarly, Mehbooba said she respects the verdict of the people. “I thank my PDP workers and leaders for their hard work and support despite all the odds. My deepest gratitude to the people who voted for me. Winning and losing is part of the game and won’t deter us from our path. Congratulations to Mian Altaf for his victory.”