Omar Abdullah Questions BJP’s Rajya Sabha Win in Jammu and Kashmir: ‘Where Did 4 Extra Votes Come From?’

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday raised serious concerns over the outcome of the Rajya Sabha elections in the union territory, after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to secure one seat despite what Abdullah described as a clear and intact voting pattern from his party’s legislators.

The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) emerged as the dominant force in the elections, winning three of the four Rajya Sabha seats. However, the BJP’s victory in one seat has sparked controversy, with Abdullah alleging inconsistencies in the voting process.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Omar Abdullah stated, “All of @JKNC_votes remained intact across the four elections, as witnessed by our election agent who saw each polling slip. There was no cross-voting from any of our MLAs, so the question arises—where did the 4 extra votes of the BJP come from?”

He further questioned the integrity of certain legislators who, according to him, might have deliberately invalidated their votes. “Who were the MLAs who deliberately invalidated their votes by marking a wrong preference number while voting? Do they have the guts to put their hands up and own up to helping the BJP after promising us their votes? What pressure or inducement helped them make this choice?” Abdullah asked, calling out what he termed as “BJP’s secret team” for “selling their souls.”

Despite the controversy, the JKNC maintained a strong performance. Senior leader Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan won a Rajya Sabha seat with 58 votes, while his party colleagues Sajad Kichloo and Shammi Oberoi also secured victories.

In an official post, the JKNC congratulated its leaders, saying, “JKNC senior leader Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan has been elected to the Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir, winning by 58 votes. Congratulations!”

Meanwhile, BJP’s state president Sat Paul Sharma clinched the fourth seat with 32 votes, defeating JKNC’s Imran Nabi Dar, who received 22 votes.

All four Rajya Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir had been vacant since February 2021 following the retirement of Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mir Mohammad Fayaz, Shamsher Singh, and Nazir Ahmed Laway. The latest results mark a significant political moment for the union territory, but Abdullah’s allegations suggest that the electoral process may continue to face scrutiny in the coming days.