How NC Lost it’s Traditional Seat

When prepaid meters, broken promises and shifting loyalties collided, Budgam delivered a verdict few expected.

- Raqif Makhdoomi

I woke up at 8:30 in the morning and reached for my phone before my eyes had even adjusted to the light. My thumb opened X out of habit. The early trends were leaning toward the National Conference. I told myself these numbers never stay still in the first hour.

The cold slowed my fingers, so I placed the phone next to my pillow and slipped back under the blanket. The room felt colder than usual and I stayed in bed longer than I planned.

When I checked again, the screen pulled me awake faster than any cup of coffee. The lead had shifted.

The seat that the National Conference had held since 1977 was slipping toward the People’s Democratic Party.

Only a year ago Omar Abdullah had won it by more than nine thousand votes. A seat with such history rarely changes hands in such a short time. The red flags that once dominated Budgam were giving way to green, and the wave had force behind it.

‘The crowds during the PDP campaign had hinted at this change. Rallies were packed with young men who didn’t hide their anger at Omar Abdullah or at the party that had promised relief in daily life. Their most common demand was simple. They wanted an end to prepaid and smart meters. Their bills had climbed, and their patience had dipped.