On June 4, when counting for the north Kashmir's Baramulla Lok Sabha seat was going on, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah conceded defeat before the formal declaration of the result and congratulated winning candidate Engineer Rashid.
Omar Abdullah wasted no time in congratulating Engineer Rashid for his victory.
Taking to his social media handle X, Omar on June 4 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".
However, two days later, Abdullah expressed his displeasure over being labeled a "big loser" by the media, alongside other prominent political figures who lost in the elections.
The “big loser” tag certainly hurts but it’s an election, you win some you lose some and life goes on.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 6, 2024
“Never Give In is our motto; strive till the set of sun; And we learn it’s truth; In the days of youth on the long Hodson run; For though your heart seems bursting; Up Sergeant… https://t.co/EOc6fCteYb
Reacting to a headline that read, "From Smriti Irani to Omar Abdullah, the big losers of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections," the National Conference leader could not hide his disappointment.
"The "big loser" tag certainly hurts but it's an election, you win some you lose some and life goes on", he posted on his social media account.
"Never Give In is our motto; strive till the set of sun; And we learn its truth; In the days of youth on the long Hodson run; For though your heart seems bursting; Up Sergeant Tilly's hill; Thought you may not win, you will yet come in; if you stick it still", he further posted.
Defeat of Omar, Mehbooba the biggest political upset in J&K
In a major political upset, former Chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti faced significant defeats in the recent Lok Sabha elections. These defeats have implications for their future political careers.
The Baramulla Lok Sabha seat witnessed a closely contested battle, with Abdullah losing to former MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid by nearly two lakh votes.
In the Anatnag-Rajouri seat, Gujjar leader Mian Altaf Ahmad secured victory over Mufti by an impressive margin of almost three lakh votes.
Both leaders have taken a firm stand against participating in the upcoming assembly elections as long as Jammu and Kashmir remains a Union Territory. Their defeats raise questions about their political prospects in the region.
However, amidst these losses, new faces emerged victorious. Sheikh Abdul Rashid, currently in Tihar jail on terror-funding charges, secured a significant position in Kashmir politics.
Aga Roohullah, a newcomer, became the first Shia from Kashmir to enter the Lok Sabha since 1971.
Roohullah's political journey has been marked by controversy, but he remains steadfast in his opposition to the abrogation of Article 370. He has pledged to raise this critical issue in Parliament, emphasizing the responsibility bestowed upon him by the mandate.
