Veteran Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami has secured his fifth consecutive victory in the Kulgam constituency, defeating Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Sayar Reshi, on Tuesday. 

According to the Election Commission website, Tarigami secured over 33,634 votes while Reshi came in second with over 25,000 votes. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)'s  Mohammad Amin Dar finished third with over 7500 votes. 

The Kulgam constituency, one of the most closely watched seats in south Kashmir, has long been a bastion for the CPM, with veteran leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami holding the Assembly seat for nearly three decades. However, Tarigami’s legacy could be under threat with the entry of a Jamaat-e-Islami-backed candidate.

Electorate and Key Candidates

In the constituency, a total of ten candidates are competing, but the primary contest appears to be among Muhammad Yusuf Tarigami, Nazir Ahmad Laway of the People's Conference—formerly with the PDP—and Sayyar Reshi, an Independent candidate supported by a select panel from Jamaat-e-Islami. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is represented by Mohammad Amin Dar, while Engineer Mohammad Aqib from the Apni Party is also in the running.

Tarigami, who has won four consecutive Assembly elections since 1996, is contesting as part of the National Conference (NC)-Congress alliance. In the last two Assembly elections, held in 2008 and 2014, he achieved narrow victories, largely due to the significant support received by PDP candidates from Jamaat-e-Islami activists in the area.

Vote Share (2014)

Winner: Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami (CPI(M)): 20,574 votes, 38.69 % (vote share)

Nazir Ahmad Lawray (JKPDP): 20,240 votes, 38.06 % (vote share)

Margin of Victory: 334

Party Performance in Previous Elections

In the 2014 assembly elections, the PDP emerged as the single-largest party in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, securing 28 out of 87 seats. The BJP followed closely as the second-largest party with 25 seats, while the National Conference and Congress managed only 15 and 12 seats, respectively.

Background of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections

As the region recently held assembly elections in phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1, this election marks the first since the abrogation of Article 370. The Election Commission of India reported a noteworthy voter turnout of 63.88% in these elections. In this election cycle, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference and Congress contested jointly as partners in the INDIA alliance, while the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opted to fight independently.