The People's Democratic Party’s Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi has won the Budgam by-election in central Kashmir, securing 21,576 votes and defeating Aga Syed Mahmood Al-Mosavi by a margin of 4,478 votes. The seat was vacated last year by J&K CM Omar Abdullah, who had represented it for decades under the National Conference before winning two seats in the 2024 elections.