Amid Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, a shock to the BJP party as former minister and candidate from Surankote, Mushtaq Ahmad Shah Bukhari, died on Wednesday, October 2, after collapsing at his residence in Poonch district, party leaders said, reported news agency PTI.
He was 75 and is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son. Bukhari was unwell for some time and suffered a heart attack at 7 am on Wednesday, leading to his death, a BJP leader said. Bukhari, a two-time former MLA from Surankote, joined the BJP in February 2024, after the Centre granted Scheduled Tribe status to his Pahari community.
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He was fielded from Surankote, which went to vote along with 25 other segments in the second phase on September 25. Bukhari quit the National Conference in February 2022 after a four-decade association following an argument with party president Farooq Abdullah over the Scheduled Tribe status.
Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina and the leaders of other political parties condoled Bukhari’s death. “Bukhari was a mass leader and his death left a void which is very hard to fill,” Raina said.
Former Deputy CM of J&K, Kavinder Gupta also condoled the demise of former minister and BJP candidate Surankote, Syed Mushtaq Bukhari