What does Engineer Rasheed’s win amid defeats of stalwarts in IIOJK mean?
Srinagar: In a stunning upset, independent candidate Engineer Abdur Rasheed won the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, while stalwarts Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti faced defeat in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, analysts attribute the outcome to a growing anti-establishment and pro-freedom sentiment, as well as a perceived miscarriage of justice against Rasheed, who has been a vocal voice for his constituency and a champion of Jammu and Kashmir’s political rights. Rasheed, currently jailed under the controversial UAPA, is widely seen as a political prisoner, unfairly targeted by the occupying authorities.
His campaign, led by his son Abrar, effectively leveraged this narrative, garnering sympathy votes. “The people of Kashmir have shown solidarity with a man they believe was mistreated,” said a local observer. In contrast, traditional party leaders like the Abdullahs and Mufti faced voter disillusionment, being seen as out of touch with grassroots concerns.
Their defeat signals a shift towards independent voices and a desire for change in the territory.
