Voting for the four Rajya Sabha seats, the first such election in the Union Territory since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, took place on Oct 24 at the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Complex in Srinagar.
This marked the end of a long gap in the region’s Upper House representation.
The Union Territory has been unrepresented in the Upper House since February 2021, when the terms of former MPs Ghulam Nabi Azad, Nazir Ahmad Laway, Fayaz Ahmad Mir, and Shamsher Singh Manhas expired. In the vote count while the ruling National Conference won three seats, the BJP managed to ensure victory of one member.
Losing National Conference candidate Imran Nabi Dar later alleged “horse-trading,” claiming the BJP’s win was made possible through inducements.
“The BJP did not have the numbers to win this seat. They had only 28 MLAs — how did they get 32? It is clear that horse-trading has happened,” Dar told reporters, vowing to “expose those who cross-voted.”
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which had extended support to Omar Abdullah’s party “to keep the BJP away,” welcomed the outcome. Party president Mehbooba Mufti congratulated the winning candidates and expressed hope that they would “strongly represent the people of Jammu and Kashmir in Parliament.”
J&K Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra also lauded the National Conference for securing “three safe seats and putting up a strong fight for the fourth.”
However, the election drew criticism from People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone, who described it as a “fixed match” between the National Conference and the BJP. “As predicted — a fixed match; Axis of evil — NC and BJP,” he wrote on X, adding that his decision to abstain from voting was “vindicated.” Lone questioned the NC’s vote distribution, suggesting possible coordination between the two parties.
In the contest, for the third notification, the National Conference fielded G S (Shammi) Oberoi and Imran Nabi Dar, while the BJP nominated its J&K unit chief Sat Sharma.
Oberoi received 31 votes, Dar 21, and Sharma 32, while three votes were invalid. The BJP’s tally suggested it gained four extra votes, likely from Independents.
According to the Secretary of the Legislative Assembly M K Pandita, who served as the Returning Officer, National Conference candidate Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan defeated BJP’s Ali Mohammad Mir in the first seat, securing 58 of the 87 votes polled, while the BJP managed 28. One vote was declared invalid.
In the second contest, National Conference’s Sajad Kichloo triumphed over BJP nominee Rakesh Mahajan, polling 57 votes against Mahajan’s 29, with two votes rejected.
However, the election drew criticism from People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone, who described it as a “fixed match” between the National Conference and the BJP.
“As predicted — a fixed match; Axis of evil — NC and BJP,” he wrote on X, adding that his decision to abstain from voting was “vindicated.” Lone questioned the NC’s vote distribution, suggesting possible coordination between the two parties.
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