The ruling National Conference (NC) on Sunday announced Agha Syed Mehmood as its candidate for the Budgam by-election.

“On the directions of the party leadership, JKNC has announced Agha Syed Mehmood as the party’s candidate for the upcoming Budgam Assembly election. The party extends best wishes to him for a successful campaign in service of the people of Budgam,” National Conference wrote on its X handle.
Mehmood, a senior NC leader and former minister, has a substantial voter base in the constituency.
Budgam has been an NC stronghold since 1977. In the last assembly election, NC secured a victory margin of over 18,000 votes.
The PDP has nominated Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi as its candidate.
Mehdi had lost the 2024 Assembly polls from the seat by about 18000 votes to Omar Abdullah.
Muntazir is scheduled to file his nomination papers on Monday, PDP spokesman said.
The by-election for the seat, which was necessitated after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah vacated the seat, is scheduled for November 11, with counting on November 14.
Other candidates in the fray include BJP’s Syed Mohsin, AAP’s Deeba Khan, AIP’s Nazir Ahmed Khan and independent candidates Muntazir Mohid-ud-Din and Jibran Dar.