Combined support of Ruhullah, Imran Ansari ensured PDP’s win in Budgam: Speaker Rahim Rather

STC NEWS DESK
SRINAGAR, NOVEMBER 15 (STC): The National Conference’s defeat in the Budgam by-election must be viewed in a wider political context. The votes secured by the winning PDP candidate were not solely his own, said Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly Speaker and National Confernce Senior leader, Abdul Rahim Rather in a press statement today.
“This is not a PDP vote. This is Ruhullah’s vote, Maulvi Ansari’s vote and the candidate’s own family vote,” Rather said.
He further stated that the combined support of these leaders increased the PDP tally by nearly 3,500 votes compared to previous elections.
He said that in the 2024 Assembly polls, the PDP had secured around 17,000 votes in the constituency, and this time the total had risen to over 21,000 only because “both Ruhullah and Ansari brought their respective support bases together.”
However, he said democratic results must be respected. “In elections, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. There is no problem in accepting the people’s decision,” he said.
Speaking about the Nowgam Police Station blast, Rather said, “It is a matter of great misfortune. It should be investigated, and we must reach the bottom of it. Those responsible should be prosecuted according to law.”
He urged people not to speculate about the cause of the blast and emphasized the need to uphold law and order.
“My only appeal is that nobody should be punished without reason, and nobody should be harmed unjustly,” he said.
(Straight Talk Communications)