Four Rajya Sabha seats in J&K likely to go to polls in Jan next year
Arun Jasrotia
Jammu, TDD,The much-anticipated Rajya Sabha elections for seats in Jammu and Kashmir are set to take place in January 2025, filling vacancies that have remained unaddressed since February 2021 due to the absence of a functioning Legislative Assembly. These elections come after the formation of a new Legislative Assembly, which now has 88 out of 90 members, following the resignation of former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the unfortunate passing of BJP MLA Devender Singh Rana.
The political dynamics of the region are taking an interesting turn. A potential alliance of the National Conference (NC), Congress, and independents appears poised to secure three of the four seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to hold on to one seat based on its current strength in the Assembly. The elections will be held in a distinctive format, with one election for two seats and two separate elections for the other two. This structure could result in the ruling alliance winning the two seats contested together, while the remaining two will likely be shared between the NC-led coalition and the BJP.
The upcoming elections are especially noteworthy because they will mark the return of Jammu and Kashmir’s representation in the Rajya Sabha, a void that has persisted since the last elections in February 2021. The absence of an elected Assembly has left the region without its voice in the upper house, but this election promises to restore its representation.
One of the key figures drawing attention is Dr. Farooq Abdullah, president of the National Conference. Despite not contesting the recent Lok Sabha or Assembly elections, there is strong speculation that he could be nominated for one of the Rajya Sabha seats, further adding to the significance of these elections. This election signals not just a political shift but also the restoration of democratic representation in Jammu and Kashmir at the national level.(TDD)
