Nagrota Bypoll: A High-Stakes Prestige Battle Concludes as Voters Prepare to Decide

Published On: November 10, 2025

The campaign trail has fallen silent in Nagrota. After four weeks of intense rallies and door-to-door outreach, campaigning for the high-stakes Jammu and Kashmir Assembly bypoll concluded peacefully on Sunday evening. All eyes are now on the constituency’s 97,893 registered voters, who will cast their ballots on November 11 in a contest that has become a crucial prestige test for the region’s major political players.

The by-election, necessitated by the passing of sitting BJP MLA Devender Singh Rana, has crystallized into a compelling triangular contest. The key contenders are:

BJP’s Devyani Rana, who is championing her father’s legacy and his “vision of a progressive Nagrota.”
National Conference’s (NC) Shamim Begum, who is advocating for her party’s development-oriented agenda.
J&K National Panthers Party president Harsh Dev Singh, who is appealing to voters to “choose merit over emotion.”

Other candidates, including those from the Aam Aadmi Party and the Apni Party, are also in the fray, hoping to make their mark.

The final phase of campaigning in Nagrota saw a flurry of activity from top leadership. Union Minister Jitendra Singh and senior NC leaders joined the fray, lending considerable weight to the efforts of their respective candidates.

Devyani Rana, concluding her outreach, framed the election as a matter of “trust and service.” “I will dedicate myself to the welfare of every section of society,” she stated, urging a high voter turnout.

Meanwhile, NC’s Shamim Begum, a current District Development Council member, highlighted the foundation laid by previous NC governments. “We will build upon that legacy and work to strengthen public services and empowerment,” she assured voters.

The Nagrota Assembly constituency has been a competitive battleground. Since 1996, the BJP has won the seat three times, while the NC has secured it twice. The bypoll’s significance is heightened by the legacy of Devender Singh Rana, who won the 2024 election for the BJP with a record margin after switching from the NC.

With campaigning over, the focus shifts to a peaceful voting process on November 11. The results of the Nagrota bypoll, to be declared on November 14, will not only decide the constituency’s new representative but also signal the shifting political winds in the Jammu region.