J&K Polls: Afzal Guru's brother Aijaz Guroo loses in Sopore by nearly 27k votes

Independent candidate Aijaz Guroo lost in Sopore constituency

Updated on: Oct 8, 2024, 14:54:24 IST

By HT News Desk

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Independent candidate Aijaz Ahmad Guroo, who is the brother of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, lost in North Kashmir's Sopore constituency by 26,846 votes. National Conference candidate Irshad Rasool Kar won the election.

Aijaz Ahmad Guroo, brother of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. (X/ @AsianNewsHub)

Follow the live blog on Jammu and Kashmir polls for latest updates.

Though Aijaz Ahmed Guroo did not complete his matriculation, he has voiced his determination to protect the Constitution and focus on addressing Sopore's key challenges.

During his campaign, Guroo promised to tackle basic issues and address the needs of the underprivileged, saying Sopore's challenges reflect the broader problems in Jammu and Kashmir.

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He also claimed that the influence of the National Conference contributed to the prevailing atmosphere of fear and violence in the region.

Afzal Guru, Aijaz Ahmed Guroo's brother, was executed in Tihar Jail on February 9, 2013, for his role in the December 2001 Parliament attack.

He took voluntary retirement from the Animal Husbandry Department in 2014 and is currently working as a contractor.

Sopore struggled with low voter turnout due to violence

Sopore, once famed for its thriving apple orchards, became a hotspot for unrest in the early 1990s due to the surge in terrorism. The seat has a significant history, with separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani being elected from here three times, the last time in 1987.

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The constituency has struggled with low voter turnout due to violence, with just 19 percent of electors voting in 2008 and 30 percent in 2014. Urban areas often saw turnout rates below 5 percent, a trend that lasted for decades until the recent Lok Sabha elections this summer.

In the 2024 parliamentary polls, voters in both urban and rural pockets came out in good numbers as the turnout surged to 45 percent from mere 4 percent in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

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