| Despite political opposition, campaign to dismiss terror-linked employees to continue | | |  Sandeep Bhat
Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 2: The administration has decided to intensify its campaign to weed out terror-friendly employees from government service, despite mounting criticism from several political parties, including the ruling National Conference (NC).
According to official sources, while 80 government employees with alleged links to terror groups have already been dismissed from service, more than 100 others remain under the scanner. Intelligence agencies are closely monitoring their activities, and appropriate action will be taken against anyone found involved in supporting or aiding terrorist networks.
Despite the political row over the dismissals, the administration remains firm on its stance. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has reaffirmed that the campaign to dismantle the terror ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir will continue relentlessly until lasting peace and stability are achieved across the Union Territory.
“It is our commitment to root out all anti-national elements who managed to infiltrate the system. This process will continue until we completely wipe out the terror ecosystem from governance,” Sinha asserted while addressing the Union Territory’s Foundation Day celebrations on October 31.
Notably, the ruling National Conference, its coalition partner Congress, and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have all criticized the termination of terror-linked employees, calling the move “unfair” and “undemocratic.”
Without naming any political party, the Lieutenant Governor urged citizens to stay vigilant and united against those attempting to derail peace and development.
“Attempts are being made to stall the pace of development. People must remain united to ensure that this growth journey continues uninterrupted,” Sinha said, emphasizing that collective resolve was essential to sustaining the gains achieved in recent years.
In the 2024 Assembly elections, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah secured a decisive victory from Budgam, polling 36,010 votes—54.52 percent of the total 66,052 votes cast—while his nearest PDP rival managed 17,525 votes. The constituency, which has a Shia-majority electorate of about 1.25 lakh voters, recorded an impressive 66 percent turnout.
The byelection was necessitated after Omar Abdullah vacated Budgam to retain his family bastion of Ganderbal, which he also won in 2024. The contest has now become a litmus test for the NC government’s performance in its first year in office, with opposition parties accusing it of failing to deliver on its electoral promises.
The NC, however, has blamed what it calls the Union Territory’s “dual power structure” — wherein key administrative decisions rest with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha — for delays in policy implementation. Sinha has dismissed such claims, saying the elected government already possesses all necessary powers and that the “excuse” of statehood no longer holds ground.
Adding intrigue to the contest, Budgam is witnessing a rare “Aga vs Aga vs Aga” showdown among three influential members of the prominent Shia Aga family.
Former minister Aga Syed Mehmood Al-Mousvi, contesting on the NC ticket, is banking on the party’s organizational strength and historical loyalty. However, his campaign has been overshadowed by internal strife after NC MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, a three-time MLA from Budgam and a known critic of Omar Abdullah, distanced himself from the campaign on grounds of “conscience,” potentially alienating a section of the traditional NC vote base.
The PDP has fielded Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi, 32, who is emerging as a formidable challenger. Having contested against Omar Abdullah in 2024 and polled 17,445 votes, Muntazir has positioned the bypoll as a “protest vote” against what he calls the NC’s neglect of Budgam. He has accused Omar of betraying voters by vacating the seat despite promising to represent it if victorious, likening Budgam’s treatment by the NC to that of a “stepney” — a spare tire.
Meanwhile, Aga Syed Mohsin Mousvi of the BJP is seeking to capitalize on anti-incumbency sentiments against both the NC and PDP. He has attacked the NC for its “five decades of misrule” and the PDP for “post-2002 failures,” while promising employment, industrial growth, and infrastructure development. Unlike his rivals, he has avoided contentious issues like Article 370 or statehood, instead highlighting the BJP’s governance record at the Centre.
With the prestige of the National Conference and the credibility of the Omar Abdullah government at stake, the Budgam byelection has transformed into a high-voltage triangular contest — one that could shape political narratives in central Kashmir ahead of future polls. |
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