Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday congratulated the three National Conference (NC) candidates who won the Rajya Sabha elections but expressed disappointment over the party’s loss on the fourth seat, saying they were “let down at the last moment.”
The NC secured three of the four Rajya Sabha seats from Jammu and Kashmir, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won one.
“Heartiest congratulations to my colleagues Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan, Sajad Kichloo, and Shammi Oberoi on their victory in the Rajya Sabha polls. I wish them the best as they begin a new innings representing the people of Jammu and Kashmir in Parliament,” Abdullah wrote on X.
The chief minister, who also serves as NC vice president, said the party had worked hard to ensure Imran Nabi Dar’s win for the fourth seat but was ultimately disappointed.
“My heart goes out to my young colleague Imran Nabi Dar. We put in our best effort to get him elected, but were let down at the last moment. Losing a hard-fought election is never easy, but I’m confident other opportunities will come his way soon,” he said.
Abdullah, however, asserted that all NC legislators voted loyally.
“All of JKNC’s votes remained intact across the four elections, as confirmed by our election agent who verified each polling slip. There was no cross-voting from our MLAs. So the question remains — where did the BJP’s four extra votes come from?” he asked.
He also questioned the intent of MLAs who “deliberately invalidated their votes by marking the wrong preference number.”
“Do they have the courage to admit they helped the BJP after promising us their votes? What pressure or inducement made them do so? Let’s see if any of the BJP’s secret allies own up to selling their souls,” Abdullah added.
According to a BJP spokesperson, the party’s candidate Sat Sharma won the fourth seat with 32 votes, while NC’s Imran Nabi Dar received 22.
