Who Is Iltija Mufti? J&K Ex-CM's Daughter Accepts 2024 Election Defeat

Iltija Mufti, a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Bijbehara-Srigufwara, is trailing in the Jammu & Kashmir assembly polls. On October 8, hours before the official declaration of results, she conceded defeat in a post on X. "I accept the verdict of the people," the 36-year-old leader wrote. Iltija comes from a revered political lineage as the daughter of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and granddaughter of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who founded the PDP. She is up against Bashir Ahmad Veeri, a tough National Conference (NC) veteran. 

Mufti Family Legacy: Can Iltija Carry It Forward?

Iltija Mufti boasts an impressive academic record. After pursuing an undergraduate degree in Political Science from Delhi, she went to the UK for a Master’s in International Relations and worked as a Senior Administrative Officer at the Indian High Commission in London and the Australia India Institute. 

Iltija's political journey began early as a media advisor to then-CM Mehbooba Mufti. The Bijbehara-Srigufwara seat is the Mufti family's stronghold as it has been represented by two generations of the family. According to voters, the family's impactful work has left a lasting influence on the community. 

Since 1996, the Mufti family has defended Bijbehara-Srigufwara in every assembly election. Despite the PDP's developmental work in the constituency over the last 25 years and the family's respected legacy, Iltija's campaign did not receive the same response from voters, as per the latest results.

I accept the verdict of the people. The love & affection I received from everyone in Bijbehara will always stay with me. Gratitude to my PDP workers who worked so hard throughout this campaign 💚

— Iltija Mufti (@IltijaMufti_) October 8, 2024

Iltija, who is making her electoral debut in this election, is currently trailing in Bijbehara-Srigufwara, according to the latest poll result trends. The National Conference candidate is leading by a margin of at least 5,000 votes. This significant gap underscores the competitive nature of this election.

The Bijbehara-Srigufwara constituency is one of the 90 seats in Jammu and Kashmir that went to polls in Phase 1 of the three-phase elections on September 18. In the 2014 Assembly polls, the seat was won by Abdul Rehman Bhat of the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (JKPDP).

This is the first-ever Assembly polls in J&K since the abrogation of Article 370. The union territory witnessed a voter turnout of 63.45%, compared to the 65.52% recorded in 2014. There are 873 candidates, including just 43 women. The result will be declared on the evening of October 8.