From BJP's Ravinder Raina to PDP's Iltija Mufti | Key candidates who lost in Jammu-Kashmir Assembly Elections

Congress' Tara Chand had won Chhamb seat twice in 2002 and 2008 but lost to BJP in 2014. He served as Congress Legislative Party leader, deputy CM and speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly under the govts of Mufti Sayeed and Omar Abdullah, chose to contest from his traditional Chhamb seat.

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections Results 2024: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections results were declared today (October 8) with the completion of vote counting at 6:00 pm on Tuesday. Some key candidates of the Union Territory, including Ravinder Raina, Iltija Mehbooba Mufti, and Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, have lost their constituency seats to the opposition candidates. 

Here is list of key candidate who lost J-K Assembly Elections- 

1. Ravinder Raina  (Nowshera)

Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina, known as the party's poster boy in the region, has led the BJP to its best-ever performance in the assembly polls with 29 seats, even as he failed to retain his Nowshera assembly seat.

"I have accepted the verdict of people. I thank them for their support," said Raina, whose leadership has helped the party navigate the complex political landscape of the Union Territory, especially after the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir.

He has led several high-profile campaigns, particularly against cross-border terrorism and ceasefire violations.

2. Iltija Mehbooba Mufti 

Mehbooba Mufti's daughter and PDP candidate from Srigufwara–Bijbehara constituency, Iltija Mufti lost by a margin of 9,770 votes after the final round of counting that began at 8:00 am on Tuesday (October 8). Jammu and Kashmir National Conference's candidate Bashir Ahmad Shah Veeri won from the constituency.

The 37-year-old was in the fray from the Srigufwara-Bijbehara seat in her first assembly polls.

"I accept the verdict of the people. The love & affection I received from everyone in Bijbehara will always stay with me. Gratitude to my PDP workers who worked so hard throughout this campaign," Iltija Mufti posted on X.

The Srigufwara-Bijbehara Assembly constituency is one of the 90 seats in Jammu and Kashmir that went to the polls in the first phase of the three-phased elections on September 18. In the 2014 Assembly results, this seat was won by Abdul Rehman Bhat of the Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party (JKPDP), who defeated Bashir Ahmad Shah of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) by a margin of 2,868 votes. Notably, Srigufwara–Bijbehara is part of the Anantnag–Rajouri Lok Sabha.

3. Syed Mohd Altaf Bukhari (Channapora)

Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party candidate Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari lost by a margin of 5,688 votes from the Channapora constituency. Bukhari was defeated by Jammu and Kashmir National Conference candidate Mushtaq Guroo who received a total of 13,717 votes. 

Altaf Bukhari is the chief of Apni Party. Channapora went to polls in the second phase of three-phased Assembly polls on September 25. The results of the elections were out on October 8.

4. Vikar Rasool Wani (Banihal)

Congress candidate Vikar Rasool Wani lost by a margin of 12,670 votes from the Banihal constituency. He received a total of 20,458 votes. Vikar Rasool was defeated by Jammu and Kashmir National Conference candidate Sajad Shaheen who got 33,128 votes for his victory. 

5. Tara Chand (Chhamb) 

Former Deputy Chief Minister and Congress candidate Tara Chand lost his traditional bastion of the Chhamb seat, which was won by rebel independent candidate Satesh Sharma with a margin of 6,929 votes. 

The Congress party had won the Chhamb Assembly constituency seven out of the past nine elections since 1962, when party veteran Chajju Ram secured the seat for the first time. Sharma, aged 42, left the Congress and contested as an independent candidate from the Chhamb assembly segment of Jammu, defeating BJP candidate Rajeev Sharma with a margin of 6,929 votes. 

Sharma, the son of two-time MP and former Congress Minister Madan Lal Sharma, received 33,985 votes.

6. Harsh Dev Singh (Chenani)

The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party candidate Harsh Dev Singh lost by a margin of 15,611 votes from the Chenani constituency. Harsh was defeated by the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Balwant Singh Mankotia who received 47,990 votes. 

Harsh Dev Singh could only manage to get 32,379 votes in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Election Results 2024. 

7. Ghulam Nabi Lone (Chrar-i-Sharief)

PDP candidate Ghulam Nabi Lone lost by a margin of 11,496 votes from the Chrar-i-Sharief constituency. The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference candidate Advocate Abdul Rahim Rather won the Chrar-i-Sharief constituency. He defeated Jammu and Kashmir PDP candidate Ghulam Nabi Lone.