Srinagar, Oct 24: The National Conference (NC) on Friday won three of the four Rajya Sabha seats from Jammu and Kashmir, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clinched one following significant cross-voting during the polls. The outcome, though largely favourable to the NC, was marked by unexpected voting patterns that shocked senior party members and altered the predicted arithmetic of the contest.
According to official figures, Sat Sharma of the BJP secured 32 votes, defeating NC’s Imran Nabi Dar, who polled 22 votes. The other three winners from the NC include Chowdary Ramzan, Sajad Kitchloo, and Sammi Obroi, each of whom won with comfortable margins. The results were declared late Friday after an intense day of voting and counting inside the J&K Assembly complex.
The elections were marred by evident cross-voting, which benefited the BJP beyond expectations. Political observers said Sat Sharma’s tally exceeded the BJP’s official strength, indicating that several votes were cast across party lines. “Cross-voting is clear. Sat Sharma got more votes than the BJP expected,” said a senior leader privy to the counting process.
A senior NC leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, admitted that the party was surprised by the outcome of the fourth seat. “We are shocked and were not expecting this. It’s clear that cross-voting took place,” the leader said, acknowledging that internal discipline within the alliance may have been breached.
Despite the setback on one seat, the National Conference maintained its dominance by winning three of the four Rajya Sabha berths, bolstered by the tactical support of the Congress and People’s Democratic Party.
Political analysts said the results reveal both triumph and turbulence for the NC. While the party’s three-seat haul reinforces its regional dominance, the BJP’s victory on the fourth seat, aided by cross-voting, signals internal fissures and unpredictable loyalties within the Assembly.
With the Rajya Sabha results now final, NC’s Chowdary Ramzan, Sajad Kitchloo, and Sammi Obroi will join BJP’s Sat Sharma as Jammu and Kashmir’s new representatives in the Upper House, marking a politically charged chapter in the UT’s post-restoration landscape. [KNT]
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