Jammu, Oct 2 (IANS): Syed Mushtaq Bukhari, BJP candidate from the Surankote Assembly constituency in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district passed away on Wednesday. He was 75.

Family sources said Bukhari suffered a massive heart attack and passed away.

He fought the J&K Legislative Assembly election as the BJP candidate from the Surankote constituency. Voting for Surankote was held on September 25 in the second phase of the 3-phased Assembly polls in J&K. The last phase of the polling was held on Tuesday.

The news about his death was shared by the BJP’s J&K president Ravinder Raina, who wrote on X. “Shocked & deeply pained to hear the demise of a Political Stalwart and BJP candidate from Surankote Assembly Constituency Jeenab #Sayeed Mushtaq Bukhari Sahib. This is an irreparable loss of the whole of the society in Rajouri & Poonch. I express my heartfelt condolences.” Raina also shared a picture clicked during the recent election campaign.

Bukhari quit the National Conference following a disagreement with the party president Farooq Abdullah over the issue of ST status for the Pahari community. He joined the BJP in February after the Centre granted Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Paharis. He was a minister in the Farooq Abdullah government in 1996.

The counting of votes is scheduled for October 8. As per the election laws, counting for the Surankote Assembly seat will not be affected by the BJP candidate’s death.

Counting will be taken up as routine on October 8 along with all other constituencies in J&K. However, if the election is won by the deceased BJP candidate in Surankote, then the fresh poll will be ordered in Surankote through a notification by the Election Commission of India (ECI), said officials here.

Under Section 151A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, elections will have to be held on this seat within six months if the deceased candidate wins on counting of votes.