Tanvir Sadiq’s win with margin of 16,173 votes highest across Srinagar

Srinagar, Oct 9: In a triumph of words and action, Tanvir Sadiq, the chief spokesperson of the National Conference (NC) and one of Omar Abdullah’s closest lieutenants delivered a thumping victory in the Zadibal constituency, marking a turning point in Srinagar’s political landscape.

Tanvir Sadiq not only talked the talk but walked away with the highest victory margin across all eight constituencies in Srinagar, winning by a whopping 16,173 votes.

Sadiq’s win came as no surprise to those who have watched his rise in the NC ranks, but the scale of his victory sent shockwaves through the political corridors. With 22,189 votes in his corner, Sadiq left his nearest rival, former MLA Abid Ansari of the People's Conference, trailing far behind with a meagre 6,016 votes. A humbled Ansari, who previously won Zadibal in 2014 but switched parties, faced the brunt of a tidal wave of support for Sadiq.

Adding to the political theatre, former Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu, barely scraped together 2700 votes, finishing third with a massive 19,489-vote gap.

“I’m honoured beyond words. From today, I serve as the representative of every single individual in Zadibal, regardless of their vote,” said Sadiq in his victory speech, striking a unifying note that resonated with his supporters. “I thank my opponents for keeping me on my toes, but this is just the beginning. I promise to work relentlessly for the betterment of my constituency.”

In a stark reflection of the shifting political landscape in the Zadibal constituency, PDP’s Sheikh Gowhar Ali and Apni Party’s Tanveer Hussain Pathan faced a dismal showing in the 2024 elections, securing only 902 and 604 votes, respectively. Their poor performance not only highlighted the weakening grip of these parties but also resulted in the loss of their security deposits—a symbolic blow in any election. The independents contesting from the constituency fared no better, thus all contestants lost security deposits.

While Sadiq’s overwhelming win stole the headlines, the rest of Srinagar saw an NC-Congress alliance landslide. In Khanyar, NC stalwart Ali Muhammad Sagar fortified his legacy, defeating independent candidate Sheikh Imran by 9912 votes with a total tally of 14,906 votes. Sagar's unshakable grip on the constituency sent a clear message to political challengers: Khanyar remains NC territory.

The Habba Kadal seat, long-eyed for its migrant voter base, saw another NC veteran, Shamima Firdous, defending her seat with ease. She amassed 12,437 votes, creating a substantial lead of 9538 over her closest competitor. BJP's Ashok Kumar Bhat and PDP’s Arif Laigaroo barely made a dent with 2899 and 602 votes respectively, as the NC’s juggernaut continued.

A dramatic twist unfolded in Amira Kadal, where NC’s Mushtaq Guroo pulled off one of the election’s biggest upsets, defeating Apni Party heavyweight Altaf Bukhari by 5588 votes. Guroo’s 13,717 votes shook the Apni Party’s foundations, leaving many to question its future trajectory in Srinagar.

The electoral winds in Lal Chowk blew strongly in favour of NC's Sheikh Ahsan Ahmad, who sailed to victory with an 11,343-vote lead over former minister Muhammad Ashraf Mir. The NC's sweep didn’t stop there; in Eidgah, Mubarak Gul clinched a tightly fought race, edging out independent Ghulam Nabi Bhat by just 1680 votes.

In Hazratbal, a constituency often seen as a bellwether for regional politics, NC’s Salman Sagar decisively beat PDP’s Asiea Naqash by 10,295 votes, garnering 18,890 in total. With Hazratbal’s strategic importance, Sagar’s win has drawn attention far beyond Srinagar.