Shia Cleric Imran Reza Ansari Trails in Pattan Constituency in J&K Election

Shia cleric and People's Conference leader Imran Reza Ansari is trailing in the Pattan constituency as early trends show National Conference’s Javaid Riyaz leading by 5,868 votes. Ansari, who won the seat in 2014, hails from a politically influential family, but now faces a challenging battle in this election.

Imran Reza Ansari, a prominent Shia cleric and leader of the People's Conference, is trailing in North Kashmir’s Pattan constituency according to early trends from the Election Commission. As of the latest updates, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) candidate Javaid Riyaz, a former police officer, is leading with a margin of 5,868 votes.

Ansari, who won the Pattan seat in 2014 and served as a minister in the PDP-BJP coalition government, hails from a family with deep political roots in the region. His father, Iftikhar Ansari, first secured the seat in 1983 as a Congress candidate, and the family has been a major political force in Pattan for decades. After various party shifts, including the PDP and National Conference, Imran Ansari followed his father’s legacy by winning the seat in 2014.

Despite his rich political background and role in the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association, where he ended Farooq Abdullah’s 30-year tenure as president, Ansari now faces tough competition. His opposition to the current LG administration and his vocal criticism of its policies have made him a significant figure in the region’s political landscape.

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With the election results yet to be finalized, the outcome of the Pattan seat remains uncertain, but the lead held by NC’s Riyaz places Ansari in a challenging position as counting continues.