SRINAGAR: Voting for the Rajya Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir began on Friday morning, setting the stage for a closely watched contest, particularly for the fourth seat. The National Conference (NC) has expressed confidence in sweeping all four seats, while the BJP remains hopeful of securing the fourth.
Polling began with MLAs arriving at the Legislative Assembly complex, where three polling booths were set up. The NC is expected to comfortably win three seats, but the fourth seat has emerged as a fierce battle, with both the BJP and NC holding an equal number of votes. The BJP’s prospects were further dented after the Congress, PDP, and independent MLA Shabir Kulley pledged support to the NC.
According to current political alignments, the NC enjoys the support of 57 MLAs — including 41 from NC, six from Congress, six independents, three from PDP, and one from CPI(M). The BJP, on the other hand, commands 28 MLAs. The voting preferences of two legislators — Mehraj Malik and Sheikh Khursheed — remain uncertain. Malik, detained under the Public Safety Act, cast his vote earlier this week from Kathua district jail.
NC candidates Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan and Sajjad Kichloo are set to secure the first two seats, with each expected to garner 57 votes against the BJP’s 28.
The real contest lies in the combined election for the third and fourth seats, where Gurwinder Singh Oberoi, Imran Dar (both from NC), and BJP’s Sat Sharma are vying for victory. The two candidates polling the highest votes in this combined round will be declared elected.
For these two seats, MLAs of the ruling alliance are expected to divide their votes between Oberoi and Dar, while all BJP legislators will back Sharma. Reports suggest the NC plans to allocate 29 votes to Oberoi and 28 to Dar, matching the BJP’s tally of 28 votes.
Unless there is cross-voting within the ruling bloc, the BJP’s chances of clinching a seat appear slim. The distribution of votes within the alliance — and whether any surprise defections occur — will ultimately determine the fate of the third and fourth Rajya Sabha seats.
