The Kulgam constituency, one of the most closely watched seats in south Kashmir, has long been a bastion for the CPI(M), with veteran leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami holding the Assembly seat for nearly three decades. However, in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Election 2024, Tarigami’s legacy could be under threat with the entry of a Jamaat-e-Islami-backed candidate.

Tarigami, who has won four consecutive Assembly elections since 1996, is contesting as a candidate of the National Conference (NC)-Congress alliance in the Union Territory. This time, he faces a formidable opponent – independent candidate Sayyar Ahmad Reshi, reportedly supported by the banned Jamaat-e-Islami.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Mehbooba Mufti, is represented by Mohammad Amin Dar, while Engineer Mohammad Aqib of the Apni Party is also in the race.

Interestingly, Tarigami is not only contending with Reshi but also with former allies. Mohammad Amir Dar, once his deputy, and Mohammad Aqib Dar, his confidante, are now representing other parties.

In the previous two Assembly polls in 2008 and 2014, Tarigami secured victories by narrow margins, as PDP candidates received substantial backing from Jamaat-e-Islami cadres in the region.

Unlike other areas of south Kashmir, Kulgam has typically seen high voter turnout, recording 56.5% in the last Assembly elections of 2014.

During the 2014 Assembly elections in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP emerged as the single-largest party, winning 28 out of 87 seats, closely followed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with 25 seats. The National Conference and Congress secured 15 and 12 seats, respectively.

Kulgam Assembly Election: Voting Date

The three-phase elections for the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly are scheduled for September 18, September 25, and October 1, with the vote counting on October 8.

In Kulgam, polling is on September 18.

The Kulgam Assembly segment has a total of 117,322 voters, comprising 58,477 males and 58,845 females. They will vote across 134 polling stations in the region.

Kulgam Assembly Election: Candidates List

This time, 10 candidates are contesting the Kulgam seat, with the main contest between Tarigami and Reshi.

Candidate Names	Party
Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami	CPI(M)
Sudarshan Singh	Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party (Bhim)
Mohd Amin Dar	Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
Abdul Ahad Mir	Aman Aur Shanti Tehreek-E-Jammu & Kashmir
Mohammad Aaqib Dar	Apni Party
Nazir Ahmad Laway	Jammu & Kashmir People Conference
Afrooza Banoo	Independent
Sayyar Ahmad Reshi	Independent
Sajad Ahmad Dar	Independent
Zaman Irshad Parry	Independent

Kulgam Assembly election: 2014 result

In 2014, Tarigami bagged the Kulgam Assembly seat with a small margin. He was able to get 20,574 votes, while his rival Nazir Ahmad Laway from the PDP received 20,240 votes. The margin of victory was a mere 334 votes.

Candidate Names	Party	Votes
Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami	CPI(M)	20,574
Nazir Ahmad Laway	PDP	20,240