Mehbooba Mufti, chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir won the Anantnag bypoll for the assembly with a thumping majority of over 12000 votes. Mehbooba got more than 16000 votes after ten rounds of counting against her nearest Congress candidate Hilal Ahmad Shah who polled just 5529 votes. Iftikhar Misger, National Conference candidate came third with 2702 votes.
Congress supporters alleged discrepancies in Electronic Voting Machines and the counting was disrupted for some time as they alleged that the bogus votes were being counted in the postal ballots.
Counting however resumed even as Congress party candidate supporters shouted Anti government slogans protesting against the unsealed postal ballots.
National Conference supporters too staged walkout along with the Congress from the the counting centre at Government Degree College, Anantnag. PDP rubbished the allegations saying Congress was frustrated.
Anantnag bypoll was conducted due to the sudden demised of the then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed who represented the constituency. PM Modi congratulated Mehbooba Mufti on her victory. He tweeted "Congratulations to J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti for the phenomenal victory in the Anantnag assembly by-election."
