BJP's Surankote candidate Mushtaq Ahmad Bukhari dies of heart attack in J&K's Poonch

Mushtaq Ahmad Shah Bukhari, a former minister and BJP candidate from Surankote in Jammu and Kashmir, passed away on Wednesday after collapsing at his residence in the Poonch district, party officials confirmed. He was 75 years old and is survived by his wife, two daughters, and a son.

According to BJP leaders, Bukhari had been unwell for some time and suffered a fatal heart attack around 7 a.m.

Bukhari, who served as a two-time MLA from Surankote, joined the BJP in February this year following the Central government’s decision to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to his Pahari community. He had been nominated as the BJP candidate for Surankote in the recent elections, which took place on September 25, alongside 25 other constituencies.


In February 2022, Bukhari ended his four-decade-long association with the National Conference after a disagreement with party president Farooq Abdullah regarding the ST status.

Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina, along with leaders from various political parties, expressed their condolences. Raina remarked, "Bukhari was a leader of the masses, and his passing has created a void that will be difficult to fill."

Inputs from agencies