Who's Shagun—J&K BJP winner—whose father was killed in terror attack
What's the story
Shagun Parihar, a first-time contestant from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has won the Kishtwar seat in the Jammu and Kashmir elections.
She defeated veteran National Conference leader and former minister Sajad Ahmed Kichloo by a narrow margin of 521 votes.
Parihar's victory is significant as she is the only female candidate from her party and one of three women who have won in these elections.
Background
Parihar's journey
Parihar, 29, is pursuing a PhD in Electronics and has an MTech degree in Electrical Power Systems.
She is also preparing for the J&K Public Service Commission examination.
However, despite her academic focus, she felt a sense of duty to her community and her family's political legacy which led her to enter politics.
Family history
Parihar's family tragedy
Parihar's decision to join politics was also driven by a personal tragedy.
Her father, Ajit Parihar, and uncle Anil Parihar were killed in a terror attack on November 1, 2018.
Her uncle was a senior BJP leader who had managed to garner support from the Muslim community in Kishtwar district.
He was actively involved in politics, especially during the BJP's Doda Bachao Andolan in the 1990s.
Election strategy
Parihar's election campaign
The BJP strategically chose Parihar as their candidate for Kishtwar, a region previously affected by terror acts.
The party aimed to bridge the gap between the Muslim majority and smaller Hindu community in this area.
During her campaign, Parihar stated that this election was a choice
between those accused of plundering businesses and perpetrating violence versus those committed to "bringing peace, security, and prosperity."