Jammu, Nov 14 — The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has held on to the Nagrota Assembly seat in Jammu and Kashmir, with 30-year-old Devyani Rana recording an emphatic victory by 24,647 votes in Friday’s bypoll. The result strengthens the party’s position in the Jammu region and carries forward the political legacy of her late father and former MLA Devender Singh Rana, whose death necessitated the by-election.
According to official results, Devyani Rana secured 42,350 votes, comfortably defeating Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) candidate Harsh Dev Singh, who polled 17,703 votes. National Conference (NC) nominee Shamim Begum trailed at third place with 10,872 votes.
The scenes at the counting centre were celebratory as BJP workers welcomed the young winner with garlands and slogans. Speaking after her victory, Rana expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president J.P. Nadda, and the state leadership for their support.
“My victory goes to all the voters who cast their votes in my favour and to the party leadership for the confidence they have shown in me,” she said.
She dedicated her victory to her late father, saying, “Every household in Nagrota blessed Rana Sahab in 2024, and today they have extended the same love and support to us. This win is a tribute to him and his decades of service to the people.”
An economics graduate from the University of California, Devyani Rana currently manages her family’s media and automobile businesses. She said she hopes to introduce a “fresh, professional approach” to politics while upholding BJP’s governance model.
“I believe in a 360-degree development approach—one that is inclusive, participatory, and empowering. My focus will be on strengthening villages, panchayats, and improving services across the constituency,” she said.
The bypoll, held on November 11, saw over 75% voter turnout, indicating strong electoral engagement. The counting process was conducted at Government Polytechnic College, Gandhi Nagar.
The contest featured three prominent candidates: Devyani Rana (BJP), Shamim Begum (NC), and JKNPP president Harsh Dev Singh, a former education minister and three-time MLA from Ramnagar. While Nagrota has alternated between the NC and BJP since 1996, the Congress chose not to field a candidate this time and did not participate in the NC campaign despite their broader state-level alliance.
With this win, Devyani Rana becomes one of the youngest legislators in Jammu and Kashmir, marking a generational shift in the constituency once dominated by her father.
