Jammu and Kashmir assembly historic polls: 51 first-time MLAs elected

In a landmark election for Jammu and Kashmir's first-ever Assembly as a Union Territory, 51 out of 90 newly elected members are first-time MLAs.

The National Conference (NC), which emerged as the largest party with 42 seats, boasts the highest number of debutants, with 24 new MLAs.

The BJP secured 29 seats, sweeping the Jammu plains. It also has 15 first-time MLAs, making up more than half of its total representation. The Congress, which struggled in the Jammu region but won six seats in Kashmir, has two first-time MLAs. Additionally, six of the seven victorious Independent candidates are new faces in the Assembly.

All three People's Democratic Party (PDP) members and the lone Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) representative are debutants as well. Among the prominent new legislators are PDP youth president Waheed Para, AAP’s Mehraj Malik from Doda, and the NC’s Mushtaq Ahmad Guroo, who notably defeated Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari.

Some of the newly-elected MLAs have previously served in the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, or the Legislative Council, such as former high court judge and NC leader Hasnain Masoodi, elected from Pampore, and PDP’s Mir Mohammad Fayaz, a former Rajya Sabha member who won from Kupwara.

Other NC leaders with legislative experience include Bashir Ahmad Veeri, Saifuddin Bhat, Javaid Ahmad Mirchal, Surinder Kumar Choudhary, and Showkat Hussain Ganie, all former members of the now-abolished Legislative Council. BJP’s Vikram Randhawa, elected from Bahu in Jammu, is also a former Upper House member.

The Legislative Council was dissolved following the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir into Union Territories, marking a significant shift in the region’s political structure.