Srinagar- Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday accompanied National Conference Budgam Assembly by-election candidate Agha Syed Mehmood to the nomination filing.

Speaking to the reporters outside the venue, J&K CM Omar Abdullah admitted that he never wanted to contest the election on two seats, one of which was the Budgam Assembly constituency, which he vacated later, necessitating a by-election.

Omar Abdullah extended his complete faith in Agha Syed Mehmood for the bypoll, scheduled for November 11.

“We hope Agha Mehmood will get a resounding win from here. Farooq Abdullah discussed with party members and decided that Agha Mehmood will be the National Conference's candidate in this by-election. We had no rush. We have decided on the first day who will fight the election,” Omar Abdullah said.

“I have never kept Budgam people in deceit. I was forced, even though I never wanted it. I left the seat but not the development of Budgam,” Abdullah said.

Omar Abdullah had won both Ganderbal and Budgam seats comfortably in the 2024 Assembly election against the PDP.

NC's Agha Mehmood will be up against PDP candidate Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi. AAP has also fielded Deeba Khan from the constituency.

On October 6, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced that by-elections for eight assembly constituencies across seven states and Union Territories will take place on November 11.

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