SRINAGAR: Sajjad Gani Lone, a pro-independence leader of occupied Kashmir who contested elections, lost the bid, results showed on Saturday.

The vote was part of India’s general election, won nationally by the ruling Congress-led alliance.

Mr Lone, who opposes Indian occupation in Kashmir and defied a long-standing policy of boycotting elections, said he wanted to take Kashmir’s freedom struggle to parliament in New Delhi.

He said there was a need to change strategy after last year’s election in the valley, which saw a turnout of more than 60 per cent despite the boycott.

‘Fighting elections is a change of strategy and not ideology,’ Mr Lone told reporters.

Mr Lone, 42, who led some of the massive anti-Indian demonstrations in occupied Kashmir last year, contested the election from Baramulla district in north Kashmir.

He walked out of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, after his father, senior Kashmiri leader Abdul Gani Lone, was assassinated by unidentified gunmen in 2002.—Reuters