Srinagar, Oct 24 (IANS) Voting for the four Rajya Sabha seats started in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday at the Legislative Assembly complex in Srinagar, and the ruling National Conference (NC) MLAs were the first ones to cast their votes.

In an important related development, Jammu and Kashmir Congress MLAs have decided to support (NC) candidates in the Rajya Sabha polls.

The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) held a meeting late Thursday evening in Srinagar, after which the decision was taken.

By announcing its decision to support the NC, Congress has reaffirmed its political alignment with the ruling party. Senior Congress leader and JKPCC President Tariq Hameed Karra announced that all six Congress MLAs will cast their votes in favour of the NC candidates.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Karra emphasised that defeating the BJP remains the top priority for the Congress-NC alliance. “Our alliance with the National Conference is strong and principled. Our goal is to ensure that the BJP faces defeat in these elections,” he said.

The Rajya Sabha contest is expected to test the strength of alliances and expose any cracks within parties. As both camps gear up for the decisive day, all eyes are now on the numbers — and on whether unity among opposition ranks can truly challenge the BJP’s influence in the region.

The NC has fielded four candidates, Mohammad Ramzan Chowdhary, Sajad Kichloo, Shami Oberoi and Imran Nabi Dar for the four Rajya Sabha seats.

The BJP has fielded three candidates for three Rajya Sabha seats. On the 4th seat, the BJP has fielded its UT unit president, Sat Sharma.

The NC has an edge over rivals in three Rajya Sabha seats, while the BJP has an edge over the NC in the fourth seat, with 28 votes against 24 of the NC alliance. The PDP has announced support for NC on the third seat.

All elected MLAs of the 90-member J&K Assembly are eligible to vote in the Rajya Sabha elections. These elections are being held after nearly 10 years and could not be conducted as Jammu and Kashmir did not have an active Legislative Assembly after February 2021.

–IANS

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