The political landscape in Jammu and Kashmir intensifies as nine candidates file nominations for the four Rajya Sabha seats available, with the ruling National Conference (NC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vying for dominance. The nominations came in before the Returning Officer, Manoj Pandita, Secretary of the Assembly, today.
Among the first notifications, Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan of the NC and Dr. Ali Muhammad Mir of the BJP, alongside independent candidate Prabhakar Dada, have thrown their hats in for one available seat. The NC-led coalition, commanding a total of 53 MLAs, positions Ramzan as the likely winner without needing support from allies like the Congress, which holds 26 MLAs.
In the race for a second seat under the same notification, Sajad Kichloo from the NC and Rakesh Mahajan from the BJP have also submitted nominations. Based on the prevailing voting patterns, Kichloo appears to be another strong contender for victory.
This nomination process advances into the third notification stage, where two seats are open. NC candidates Gurwinder Singh Oberoi (alias Shammi Oberoi) and Imran Dar, alongside BJP candidate Sat Pal Sharma and independent Kante Sayanna, have entered the contest. Observers predict that the two candidates with the highest votes will take these seats. The NC coalition expects to allocate 29 votes to Oberoi and 24 to Dar, while Sharma is anticipated to garner all 28 votes from BJP legislators.
After filing his nomination, BJP candidate Rakesh Mahajan expressed gratitude towards the party leadership and conveyed his optimism about the results. “I am thankful to the national leadership for this honour. I am sure we will win all three seats,” he noted, emphasizing the inclusive opportunities provided by the BJP.
Sat Sharma, the BJP president and candidate, also took the opportunity to critique the ruling NC, asserting the BJP’s commitment to pursuing more than one seat this election cycle. “We will fight with all our strength and script history,” Sharma proclaimed.
Dr. Ali Muhammad Mir, another BJP nominee, conveyed his appreciation for being trusted with party representation. “Entire Kashmir is happy. I thank the central leadership for considering me competent for this responsibility,” he remarked.
On the part of NC, chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq confirmed that the nomination process proceeded smoothly. “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 stated, reflecting on the necessity of unity among progressive groups.
Senior NC leader Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan, competing for the Rajya Sabha seat, highlighted his commitment to address pressing developmental and political issues in Parliament. “We will come up to people’s expectations. There are a number of issues — developmental and political — that must be addressed, and we will talk about them,” he assured stakeholders.
The eagerly anticipated elections for the four Rajya Sabha seats from Jammu and Kashmir are scheduled for later this month, promising to shape the political future on several fronts.
