Iltija Mufti, the daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, has conceded defeat in the assembly elections, with her party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), set to record one of its poorest performances to date.
In a social media post, Iltija expressed her acceptance of the people’s verdict and extended her gratitude to the party workers who supported her campaign. “I accept the verdict of the people. The love and affection I received from everyone in Bijbehara will always remain with me. I am grateful to my PDP workers who worked diligently throughout this campaign,” she stated, as the counting of votes continues in Jammu and Kashmir’s first assembly elections in a decade.
Iltija Mufti contested from the Srigufwara-Bijbehara constituency. Current trends suggest that the PDP is on track to secure only five assembly seats, a significant drop from the 28 seats it won in the 2014 elections. Meanwhile, the Congress-National Conference alliance is reportedly leading in over 50 seats, surpassing the halfway mark, while the BJP is ahead in 26 seats.