The political landscape in Jammu and Kashmir heats up as nine candidates have filed nominations for the four Rajya Sabha seats. Among these candidates, the National Conference (NC) fields four, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) presents three contenders. The nominations were officially submitted to the Returning Officer, Manoj Pandita, Secretary of the Assembly, today.
The elections are crucial, especially with the first notification focusing on a single seat. Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan of the NC, Dr. Ali Muhammad Mir from the BJP, and independent candidate Prabhakar Dada have all confirmed their participation. Given the NC-led alliance’s strength of 53 MLAs, Ramzan is likely to secure this seat even without support from the Congress.
For the second seat under the upcoming notification, NC’s Sajad Kichloo and BJP’s Rakesh Mahajan have entered the race. Political analysts predict similar voting patterns to the first seat announcement, indicating Kichloo’s favorable chances of winning.
The third notification addresses two critical seats. The nominations from the NC include Gurwinder Singh Oberoi (alias Shammi Oberoi) and Imran Dar, with the BJP’s Sat Pal Sharma and independent candidate Kante Sayanna also vying for these positions. Voter distribution suggests the two candidates with the highest votes will prevail, with NC anticipated to garner 29 votes for Oberoi and 24 for Dar.
Speaking to media after submitting his nomination, BJP’s Rakesh Mahajan expressed gratitude to party leadership and conveyed optimism about their prospects. He emphasized, “I am thankful to the national leadership for this honour. I am sure we will win all three seats.” Mahajan acknowledged the party’s dedication to offering equal opportunities to all members.
Meanwhile, BJP president Sat Sharma, contesting as well, fired a few rounds at NC, showcasing the BJP’s determination. He stated, “We will fight with all our strength and script history. We aim to win more than one seat this time.”
Another BJP nominee, Dr. Ali Muhammad Mir, expressed his honor over the nomination. He remarked, “Entire Kashmir is happy. I thank the central leadership for considering me competent for this responsibility.”
In response, NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq confirmed the successful completion of the nomination process. He stated, “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.”
Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan, also a senior leader from NC, vowed to raise crucial developmental and political concerns in Parliament. He emphasized, “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.”
The elections hold significance as they are scheduled for later this month. The political dynamics in Jammu and Kashmir continue to evolve as candidates prepare for a competitive contest for the Rajya Sabha seats, highlighting the ongoing rivalry between NC and BJP.
