Will NC Secure All 4 Rajya Sabha Seats in J&K?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Omar Abdullah expresses confidence in winning Rajya Sabha seats.
- Meeting with party allies, including Congress and CPI-M.
- Absence of Congress MLAs noted, but assurances given to avoid BJP support.
- Criticism of BJP's communal tactics in political strategy.
- Potential support from the PDP is under discussion.
Srinagar, Oct 22 (NationPress) J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed confidence that his National Conference (NC) will secure all four Rajya Sabha seats, outlining the strategy during discussions with party allies on Wednesday.
An assembly of allies, including the Congress, CPI-M, and five independent members, convened in Srinagar.
Former Chief Minister and NC President Dr. Farooq Abdullah was present at the meeting, although Congress MLAs chose not to participate.
After the meeting, Abdullah addressed the media, emphasizing that such gatherings among allies before the Assembly session and Rajya Sabha elections is a well-established practice.
“We reviewed our approach to ensure that NC candidates win all four Rajya Sabha seats, with elections occurring after more than a decade,” he stated.
He expressed gratitude to the sole CPI-M MLA, Yusuf Tarigami, and five independent MLAs for their attendance. When questioned about the Congress's absence, Abdullah remarked, “It’s inconsequential. They held their own meeting today and assured us they wouldn’t support the BJP in the Rajya Sabha elections.”
He added that the Congress must consult its high command for significant matters and noted, “When we offered them the Nagrota Assembly seat for a by-poll candidate, they ultimately deferred to our party.”
On whether the PDP would back NC candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections, Abdullah mentioned that one of their candidates, Shami Oberoi, met with PDP President Mehbooba Mufti today. NC President Dr. Farooq Abdullah also reached out to her by phone, seeking support from the PDP.
“She indicated she would make an informed decision after consulting with her party leaders,” he added.
Additionally, Abdullah criticized BJP Rajya Sabha member from Maharashtra, Medha Kulkarni, for protesting and attempting to ‘cleanse’ a Pune fort following a group of Muslim women offering ‘Namaz’ there.
“Given the BJP’s precarious position in the Bihar elections, they tend to escalate communal issues to polarize voters. This behavior is regrettable,” he concluded.