Jammu: Campaigning for the crucial Nagrota Assembly by-election in the Jammu region concluded on Sunday evening, with all 10 candidates making their final push for votes ahead of polling on November 11.
The bypoll, prompted by the death of BJP legislator Devender Singh Rana last year, has shaped up into a triangular contest between BJP’s Devyani Rana, National Conference (NC) candidate Shamim Begum, and J&K National Panthers Party president Harsh Dev Singh.
Other contenders include Aam Aadmi Party’s Joginder Singh, Apni Party’s Bodh Raj, and five others, including three independents. The constituency has 97,893 registered voters who will cast their ballots across 150 polling stations.
Campaigning, which began on October 13 following the election notification, saw an intense month of political activity with leaders from various parties—particularly the BJP and NC—touring the constituency extensively.
In the final phase, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Union Minister Jitendra Singh joined the campaign trail, energizing their respective parties’ efforts. Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and several NC ministers also addressed rallies in support of Shamim Begum.
Meanwhile, J&K BJP president Sat Sharma and party MLAs campaigned vigorously for Devyani Rana, who wrapped up her outreach with a series of meetings across the constituency.
“This election is not just about politics, but about trust and service,” she said, pledging to carry forward her late father’s vision for a progressive Nagrota. “I will dedicate myself to the welfare of every section of society,” she added, urging voters to turn out in large numbers.
An election office official said campaigning concluded peacefully at 6 p.m. and preparations are now focused on ensuring smooth polling and counting, with results due on November 14.
NC’s Shamim Begum appealed for voter support on the strength of her party’s developmental record, saying, “We will build on our past work and focus on improving public services and empowerment.” The NC nominated Begum after its coalition partner, the Congress, declined to field a candidate.
Panthers Party leader Harsh Dev Singh urged voters to “choose merit over emotion,” emphasizing the need for accountable and development-driven leadership in Nagrota.
Historically, the BJP has won the Nagrota seat three times (2002, 2008, and 2024), while the NC triumphed twice (1996 and 2014). The late Devender Singh Rana represented the constituency in 2014 and 2024, securing a record victory margin of 30,472 votes in the last election against his former NC colleague Joginder Singh, after switching to the BJP in 2021.
