KL Report
SRINAGAR
Scoring his sixth straight win from Khanyar assembly seat, National Conference General Secretary and Minister for Rural Development Ali Mohammad Sagar defeated PDP’s Khurshid Alam by 1167 votes.
With PDP sweeping Kashmir in Lok Sabha polls held earlier this year, the speculations of PDP “wave” whirling through Srinagar had turned the contest in Khanyar interesting. Though pen and inkpot dislodged NC from five seats in Srinagar, Sagar resisted the wave.
After working as a Youth President of NC for years, Sagar fought his first election from Khanyar in 1983. He won the seat in 1996, 2002 and 2008.
Representing a pro-India political party in pro-Freedom bastion of Srinagar’s old city, Sagar is credited with massive development in the constituency and infrastructural set up. His proximity with some minority and under-privileged communities in the area is believed to be his “loyal corner.”
With Congress and BJP both in contest, six candidates including two independents were in the fray for total electorate of 51010 in the seat. Known for its boycott following, 26.12 per cent electorate had cast ballot on December 14. With this win, Sagar equalled the record held by his party man Abdul Rahim Rather.
