The National Conference (NC) on Friday clinched three out of four Rajya Sabha seats from Jammu and Kashmir, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to secure one — a result that has triggered political shockwaves and fierce allegations of cross-voting and backdoor deals.
This was the first Rajya Sabha election held in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 —a contest that not only drew attention across the Union Territory but also from political circles in New Delhi.
A Contest Marked by High Drama
Voting took place at the Assembly complex in Srinagar, where legislators cast their votes at three separate booths.
From the very first round, the National Conference appeared to have a clear upper hand.
Party candidates Chaudhary Mohammad Ramzan, Sajad Kichloo, and Gurvinder Singh Oberoi emerged victorious with comfortable margins.
However, the fight for the fourth seat turned into a nail-biting contest that eventually went in favour of BJP’s Sat Sharma. His win, though, has now become the epicentre of a major political controversy.
NC Alleges Cross-Voting, Questions BJP’s Numbers
Soon after the results, senior NC leader Ahsan Pardesi raised eyebrows over the BJP’s unexpected victory, alleging that the saffron party did not have the required numbers to win even a single seat on its own.
“The BJP simply didn’t have the votes to win. Their victory is the direct result of cross-voting,” Pardesi told reporters.
“How did they manage to secure 32 votes with only their own members’ support?,” he added.
Pardesi’s remarks sparked a chain reaction across political circles, reigniting old questions about loyalty, opportunism, and covert alliances.
Omar Abdullah’s Strong Reaction: ‘Where Did Those Four Extra Votes Come From?’
National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah reacted sharply, defending his party’s integrity and hinting at foul play behind the scenes.
In a pointed social media post, Abdullah wrote:
“All National Conference votes are intact. There was no cross-voting from our side.
The real question is — where did the BJP’s four extra votes come from?
Which MLAs deliberately spoiled their ballots to help them?
Let those who sold their conscience come forward and admit they supported the BJP.”
His statement further inflamed the already tense political atmosphere, drawing attention from both state and national media.
Congress Leader Sparks Another Row
Amid the chaos, J&K Congress president Vikar Rasool Wani added fuel to the fire with a sensational allegation on social media.
He accused Omar Abdullah of striking a “secret understanding” with the BJP.
“Omar Abdullah has made an internal deal with the BJP and is ready to concede two more seats to them in upcoming by-elections.
This victory is part of that hidden agreement,” Wani claimed.
The post went viral within hours, prompting intense online debate and further deepening mistrust between the alliance partners.
Questions That Refuse to Die
Political analysts are now asking the obvious questions —if the Congress, PDP, CPI(M), and independents all supported the NC, then where did the BJP get the additional votes from?
Was it a case of last-minute betrayal by a few legislators, or was there a pre-planned arrangement behind the scenes?
For the National Conference, the results reaffirm their dominance in J&K politics, while the BJP is hailing its single-seat win as proof that its roots in the Union Territory are “firmly growing.”
But the larger narrative — involving cross-voting, possible covert deals, and political double games —
has now overshadowed the electoral triumph itself.
Behind the Scenes: Politics of Trust and Betrayal
With these results, the National Conference has consolidated its position in the Rajya Sabha,
while the BJP has made its symbolic presence felt.
However, the undercurrents tell a different story — one of alleged manipulation, secret understandings, and political trade-offs.
The Rajya Sabha polls have once again exposed the deep divisions and fragile trust that define Jammu and Kashmir’s political landscape.
As accusations fly and alliances tremble, one thing is clear —the battle for political credibility in J&K has just begun.
