Jailed Kashmiri leader beats Omar Abdullah, Sajad Lone to win Baramulla seat

Jailed Kashmiri leader Abdul Rashid Sheikh defeated National Conference leader Omar Abdullah and People's Conference president Sajad Gani Lone in the Baramulla seat.

Rashid, who fought as an Independent candidate, beat his nearest rival Abdullah by a margin of over two lakh votes.

The 56-year-old former MLA from the Langate assembly segment in Kupwara district, who is popularly known as Engineer Rashid, was arrested in 2019 and charged by the National Investigation Agency under the UAPA. He was the first mainstream politician to be booked under the anti-terror law. He is currently lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail in a terror-funding case.

Rashid's campaign was run by his son Abrar, who thanked people for their "love and support".

While conceding defeat, Abdullah congratulated Rashid. Abdullah, however, said that the victory will not hasten Rashid's release from prison. He added that the people of North Kashmir will not get the representation they have a right to.

Sajad Lone also posted a congratulatory message for Rashid on social media while conceding defeat.