Jammu & Kashmir – The J&K Rajya Sabha polls on Friday marked a historic milestone as the Union Territory conducted its first elections for the Upper House since the abrogation of Article 370. The National Conference emerged victorious in three seats while the Bharatiya Janata Party secured one seat in what turned out to be a nail-biting contest that has sparked allegations of cross-voting.
The J&K Rajya Sabha polls results showed NC’s Chowdhary M Ramzan, Sajjad Kichloo, and G.S. Oberoi winning three seats, while BJP’s Satpal Sharma clinched the fourth seat, defeating NC’s Imran Nabi Dar in a closely watched battle. This historic election has significant implications for the political landscape of the region and the composition of India’s Upper House.
Voting Process and Participation
In the J&K Rajya Sabha polls, 86 of the 88 lawmakers from the Jammu and Kashmir assembly physically cast their votes. Incarcerated legislator from Doda, Mehraj Malik, exercised his franchise through postal ballot, while People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone chose to abstain from voting, later claiming the election was a “fixed match.”
The elections were conducted under three notifications, with seats 3 and 4 going to polls under a single notification issued by the Election Commission of India. For seats 1 and 2, candidates needed a minimum of 45 votes, while for seats 3 and 4, a minimum of 29 or 30 votes each were required.
National Conference Secures Three Victories
The J&K Rajya Sabha polls saw impressive performances from NC candidates. Ramzan, a four-time MLA from Handwara assembly constituency, received 58 votes for the first seat, defeating BJP’s Ali Mohammad. Similarly, Kichloo, a two-time lawmaker from Kishtwar assembly seat, also secured 58 votes for the second seat, defeating BJP’s Rakesh Mahajan.
For the third seat, Oberoi, a longtime NC member who serves as the party’s treasurer, defeated BJP’s Satpal Sharma and secured 31 votes. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah congratulated the winners, stating, “Heartiest congratulations to my colleagues Ch Mohd Ramzan Sb, Sajad Kichloo & Shammi Oberoi on their victory in the Rajya Sabha polls.”
BJP’s Surprising Fourth Seat Victory
The most contentious outcome of the J&K Rajya Sabha polls was the fourth seat, where BJP’s Satpal Sharma managed to secure victory with 32 votes against Dar’s 22 votes. This 10-vote margin has raised serious questions about potential cross-voting, given the assembly’s arithmetic.
The contest for the fourth seat was always expected to be close. In the assembly, the NC has 41 lawmakers, Congress has six, the Peoples Democratic Party three, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) one. There are seven independents, and the BJP has 28 seats.
Cross-Voting Allegations Surface
Following the J&K Rajya Sabha polls results, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah raised pointed questions about the source of BJP’s extra votes. “There was no cross voting from any of our MLAs so the questions arise – where did the 4 extra votes of the BJP come from? Who were the MLAs who deliberately invalidated their votes by marking a wrong preference number while voting?” he posted on social media platform X.
Abdullah further questioned what pressure or inducement might have influenced voting decisions, challenging those involved to “own up to selling their souls.” The J&K Rajya Sabha polls controversy centers on how BJP secured more votes than its numerical strength in the assembly would suggest.
Also Read: PDP Supports National Conference: Strategic Alliance Shapes Rajya Sabha Polls in Jammu & Kashmir
BJP Dismisses Allegations
The BJP rejected all cross-voting allegations related to the J&K Rajya Sabha polls. Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma stated, “We don’t need to buy anyone if they are ready to come to us on their own. NC tried to consolidate the votes on the basis of religion and region.”
BJP spokesperson Balbir Ram Rattan defended the victory, calling it “a clear reflection of the complete trust that both the people and their representatives have in BJP’s policies.” The party organized flag rallies in Srinagar to celebrate their unexpected success.
Secret Ballot System and Independent MLAs
The J&K Rajya Sabha polls utilized a secret-ballot system where MLAs associated with parties must show their voting slips to respective party agents, but no such requirement exists for independents. This provision created speculation about how the seven independent MLAs voted.
Before the elections, the PDP had pledged support to the NC, and there was speculation that a majority of independents would back the ruling coalition. However, the final results suggested otherwise.
Sajad Lone’s Fixed Match Allegation
People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone, who abstained from the J&K Rajya Sabha polls, made serious allegations about the election’s integrity. “So BJP wins the fourth seat. As predicted, a fixed match. Axis of the evil. NC and BJP,” Lone stated.
He questioned why NC polled 31 votes for candidate 3 when only 29 votes would have sufficed, suggesting a deliberate strategy. “Now mathematically proved. That it was a fixed match,” Lone claimed, asking who cross-voted and whose votes were rejected.
Celebrations Across Region
Following the J&K Rajya Sabha polls results, celebrations erupted outside the assembly with NC workers shouting slogans in favor of party candidates. In Handwara, festivities broke out with people burning firecrackers celebrating Ramzan’s victory. BJP workers also organized celebrations in Srinagar.
Impact on Upper House Composition
The J&K Rajya Sabha polls results, combined with AAP’s Rajinder Gupta winning unopposed from Punjab, have shifted the Upper House balance. The INDIA bloc now holds 133 seats in the 245-member Rajya Sabha, compared to the National Democratic Alliance’s 80 seats.
The historic J&K Rajya Sabha polls represent not just an electoral exercise but a significant political event in the Union Territory’s post-Article 370 journey, with implications for regional politics and national legislative dynamics.
