Srinagar- Out of the 873 candidates who contested the 2024 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, only 43 were women, highlighting the ongoing gender disparity in political representation in the Union territory of Jammu & Kashmir.
Despite the low number of women candidates, three prominent women secured victory, marking significant milestones in their respective political journeys. The winners include Sakina Itoo from who contested from DH Pora, Shamim Firdous from Habba Kadal, and Shagun Parihar from Kishtwar.
Sakina Itoo: Veteran Politician Triumphs In DH Pora
Sakina Itoo, a seasoned politician and former Cabinet Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, made a resounding return to the legislative assembly by winning the DH Pora seat. Sakina secured 36,623 votes, winning by a significant margin of 17,449 votes over her closest rival, Gulzar Ahmad Dar of the Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 17,194 votes.
Having served as the youngest member of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly at the age of 26 in 1996, Sakina has held various ministerial portfolios over the years, including Social Welfare, Education, Tourism, Public Works, and others. Her political career is marked by numerous accolades, including the prestigious “Best MLA Award” in 2012 for her exceptional work in her constituency. Her win in 2024 solidifies her stature as one of the most influential women politicians in Jammu and Kashmir.
Shamim Firdous: National Conference Stalwart Wins Habba Kadal
Shamim Firdous of the National Conference (NC) claimed a decisive victory in the Habba Kadal constituency, securing 12,437 votes and defeating BJP candidate Ashok Bhat by a comfortable margin of 9,538 votes. Bhat managed to gather only 2,899 votes, making Shamim’s win a clear statement of her dominance in the old city’s constituency.
The NC has historically maintained a stronghold in Habba Kadal, winning the seat six times since 1977. Shamim herself has represented the constituency in 2008 and 2014, and her victory in 2024 reinforces her longstanding connection with the people of Habba Kadal.
Shagun Parihar: New BJP Face In Kishtwar
In a closely contested race in Kishtwar, Shagun Parihar of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged victorious by a narrow margin of 521 votes. Shagun secured 29,053 votes, defeating Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, who garnered 28,532 votes.
Shagun, a newcomer to electoral politics, ran a campaign centered around peace, security, and prosperity, positioning herself as a candidate committed to the well-being of the people. Her family’s history—her father Ajeet Parihar and uncle Anil Parihar, a senior BJP leader, were assassinated by terrorists in 2018—resonated with voters, but she made it clear that her campaign was not just about her family’s loss but about addressing the broader suffering caused by terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
Shagun holds an MTech in electrical power systems and is currently pursuing her PhD while preparing for the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission examination. Her victory in Kishtwar marks her political debut and adds a fresh face to the BJP’s leadership.
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