The political stage in Jammu and Kashmir is heating up as nine candidates have filed nominations for the four Rajya Sabha seats. This contest features representatives from the ruling National Conference (NC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The nominations were submitted to Returning Officer Manoj Pandita, Secretary of the Assembly, today.
According to the first notification of the election, which will fill one of the four seats, Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan from the NC, Dr. Ali Muhammad Mir from the BJP, and independent candidate Prabhakar Dada have entered the race. The NC-led coalition commands a significant majority with 53 MLAs, positioning Ramzan favorably for victory without relying on Congress support.
The BJP also boasts a robust support base with 28 MLAs, aiming to bolster its presence in the upper house.
For the second notification, NC’s Sajad Kichloo and BJP’s Rakesh Mahajan have put forth their nominations for another seat. The expected voting patterns suggest Kichloo is likely to secure this position as well.
The third notification encompasses two seats, where NC’s Gurwinder Singh Oberoi (alias Shammi Oberoi) and Imran Dar, alongside BJP’s Sat Pal Sharma and independent candidate Kante Sayanna, have filed their nominations.
Political analysts believe the two candidates with the highest votes will emerge victorious in this segment. The NC alliance is anticipated to gather 29 votes for Gurwinder Singh Oberoi and allocate 24 votes to Imran Dar, while BJP legislators are expected to cast all 28 votes for Sat Pal Sharma.
After submitting his candidacy, BJP’s Rakesh Mahajan expressed gratitude towards the party leadership and displayed confidence regarding the upcoming elections.
“I am thankful to the national leadership for this honour. I am sure we will win all three seats. The BJP provides equal opportunities to every worker, ensuring everyone receives their due rights,” Mahajan stated.
BJP president Sat Pal Sharma, who is also contesting, took a jab at the ruling NC while underscoring the BJP’s firm resolve.
“We will fight with all our strength and script history. We aim to win more than one seat this time,” Sharma emphasized.
Another BJP nominee, Dr. Ali Muhammad Mir, reflected on the trust conferred upon him.
“Entire Kashmir is happy. I thank the central leadership for considering me competent for this responsibility,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq assured that the nomination process concluded successfully. He urged all secular forces to unite in support of NC candidates.
“We are confident of winning all four seats. However, it is unfortunate that Congress did not agree to what was offered. I urge all secular forces to support our candidates,” Sadiq declared.
In a related development, senior NC leader Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan vowed to prioritize developmental and political issues once elected.
“We will come up to people’s expectations. Numerous developmental and political issues must be addressed, and we will raise them in Parliament,” he stated.
The elections for the four Rajya Sabha seats from Jammu and Kashmir are scheduled to take place later this month, with heightened anticipation surrounding their outcomes.
