Bilal Bashir Bhat
The year 2024 marked a significant shift in the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir, with the first Assembly Elections in over a decade following the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state. The year also witnessed the Lok Sabha Elections, highlighting massive political activity in Jammu and Kashmir.
The National Conference (NC) made a significant comeback in the 2024 assembly elections, winning 42 out of 90 seats and performing well in the Lok Sabha Elections. However, according to web search engines’ most searched personalities, only two of its members made it to the list of the most searched political personalities in Jammu and Kashmir.
Onlykashmir.in, through a thorough analysis of different search engines with the help of AI, found the five most popular personalities in Jammu and Kashmir in 2024:
1. Omar Abdullah
With 682 points in the search engines index, Omar’s return to power as Chief Minister following the formation of the first elected government since the abrogation of Article 370 made him a central figure in the political scene. His efforts to navigate the complex political landscape and his commitment to governance reforms kept him in the public eye.
2. Engineer Sheikh Abdul Rashid
Rashid’s release from jail before the assembly elections, his controversial political stance, and his victory over Omar Abdullah in the Lok Sabha elections in 2024 kept him a prominent and polarizing figure. He is currently lodged in Tihar jail. He has scored 275 points on the search engines index.
3. Iltija Mufti
Emerged as a strong political activist in 2024, Iltija entered the political arena as her mother’s media advisor following Mehbooba Mufti’s detention after the abrogation of Article 370. Despite her efforts in campaigning during the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, she and her mother faced defeat. Iltija emerged as a vocal figure, especially during the Assembly Election campaign with the catchy and trendy slogan “Zyeun ho Zyeun ho.” Her active presence on social media contributed to her being widely searched. She has 184 points.
4. Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi
With 181 points on the index, Ruhullah Mehdi, a respected politician and Shia cleric from Jammu and Kashmir, knows how to stay relevant in the political discourse. He won the Lok Sabha seat with a massive margin, which ultimately triggered the hopes of the National Conference for the assembly elections. He remained grounded and, on occasion, never hesitated to fish in troubled waters. His opposition to the abrogation of Article 370 and his stand on the reservation policy made him familiar among the youth, especially on social media.
5. Manoj Sinha
As the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha’s role in implementing central government policies and focusing on development projects in Jammu and Kashmir kept him in the public eye. With 133 points, Sinha’s actions, statements, and roles in shaping Jammu and Kashmir’s future made him one of the top 5 searched personalities in Jammu and Kashmir in 2024.
