The political landscape in Jammu and Kashmir intensifies as nine candidates, representing various parties, filed their nominations for the four Rajya Sabha seats. Among them are four candidates from the ruling National Conference (NC) and three from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The nominations were submitted to Returning Officer Manoj Pandita, Secretary of the Assembly, today.
The election schedule set a pivotal first notification, with Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan from the NC and Dr. Ali Muhammad Mir from the BJP throwing their hats into the ring, alongside independent candidate Prabhakar Dada. Given the NC-led alliance’s stronghold of 53 MLAs, Ramzan is likely to win this seat even without Congress support, positioning the party favorably in the upcoming vote. The BJP currently commands the backing of 28 MLAs.
Moving forward, the second notification opened up contention for another single seat with Sajad Kichloo of the NC and Rakesh Mahajan of the BJP now in consideration. Observers suggest Kichloo also stands a good chance of clinching victory, following a similar voting trend exhibited in the first notification.
The third notification addresses competition for two seats, where NC candidates Gurwinder Singh Oberoi — colloquially known as Shammi Oberoi — and Imran Dar have stepped forward, competing against BJP candidate Sat Pal Sharma and independent Kante Sayanna. Political analysts predict the two candidates receiving the highest votes will emerge victorious, estimating 29 votes for Gurwinder Singh Oberoi and 24 for Imran Dar from the NC alliance. In contrast, BJP legislators will likely consolidate their 28 votes behind Sharma.
BJP candidate Rakesh Mahajan shared his thoughts post-nomination, expressing gratitude towards party leadership: “I am thankful to the national leadership for this honour. I am sure we will win all three seats. The BJP gives equal opportunity to every worker, and all get their due right,” he said, radiating optimism for the upcoming elections.
Meanwhile, BJP President Sat Sharma pledged vigorous campaigning aimed at winning more than one seat, emphasizing his contempt for the ruling NC. “We will fight with all our strength and script history. We aim to win more than one seat this time,” Sharma proclaimed, aligning his party’s ambitions.
BJP nominee Dr. Ali Mohammad Mir echoed Mahajan’s sentiments, expressing pride in being considered for the role. “Entire Kashmir is happy. I thank the central leadership for considering me competent for this responsibility,” he said, highlighting a positive outlook for the party’s candidates ahead of voting.
Responding to the growing contest, NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq confirmed the smooth completion of the nomination process. He voiced confidence in the party’s prospects: “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,” he remarked, signaling the NC’s readiness for a competitive election.
Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan, another veteran from the NC, reaffirmed his commitment to address significant 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 stated, reflecting a resolve to advocate for local concerns.
The elections for these four crucial Rajya Sabha seats from Jammu and Kashmir are set to be held later this month, marking a pivotal moment in the region’s political dynamics.