Kashmir: Omar concedes defeat amid counting of voting on Baramulla Lok Sabha seat

Lodged in Delhi's Tihar jail, Independent candidate Engineer Rashid has established a comfortable lead on north Kashmir's Baramulla Lok Sabha seat.

Amid the ongoing counting for the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, former Chief Minister and National Conference candidate Omar Abdullah accepted his defeat on this prestigious seat of north Kashmir.

Taking to his social media handle X Omar congratulated jailed politician Engineer Rasheed who has been dominating the poll counting trends since morning. "I think it's time to accept the inevitable. Congratulations to Engineer Rashid for his victory in North Kashmir."

He added, "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."

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…
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 4, 2024

After the 14th round of counting, Abdul Rashid alias Engineer Rashid comfortably leads on the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat.

Engineer Rashid secured 3,25,885 votes while his nearly rival Omar Abdullah secured 175801 votes. Jammu and Kashmir Peoples' Conference chief Sajad Lone got 111050 votes. Peoples Democratic Party candidate Mir Mohammad Mir has so far got only 19,753 votes on this seat.

Engineer Rashid contesting election from jail

Abdul Rashid is contesting the Lok Sabha election from the jail. His candidature is supported by the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) of Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) has announced its unconditional support for jailed leader Engineer Abdul Rashid in the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat.
Engineer Rashid, who has been lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail since August 2019 in a terror funding case, received this backing after his son Abrar Rashid approached DPAP chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad seeking support for his father.

NC won Baramulla seat in 2019

In the 2019 elections, the Baramulla parliamentary constituency had a total of 13,17,738 electors of which 455550 votes were polled. Jammu & Kashmir National Conference candidate Mohammad Akbar Lone won and became a Lok Sabha member from this seat. He secured a total of 1,33, 426 votes. Jammu and Kashmir People Conference candidate Raja Aijaz Ali stood second with a total of 103193 votes. He lost by 30233 votes.

In 2014, the Baramulla parliamentary constituency had a total 11, 90, 766 electors. A total of 4,65, 992 votes were polled. Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party candidate Muzaffar Hussain Baig won and became MP from this seat. He secured a total 1,75, 277 votes. Jammu and Kashmir National Conference candidate Sharief Ud-din Shariq stood second with a total 1,46, 058 votes.

Year Candidate Party