Srinagar, 11-10-2024: With the formation of the new Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on the horizon after nearly a decade, the National Conference (NC) is gearing up to send its chief, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, to the Rajya Sabha. High-level sources within the party have confirmed this development, indicating that the veteran leader is preparing for a significant role at the national level. A senior NC leader stated that there is a strong consensus within the party for Dr. Abdullah’s nomination to the Rajya Sabha. “He remains a guiding force for us, and we believe that his presence in the Rajya Sabha will allow him to effectively advocate for the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” the leader said.
According to sources, once the new Assembly is formed, Jammu and Kashmir, as a Union Territory, will have representation in the Rajya Sabha for the first time in over three and a half years. The election procedure, as per party insiders, will involve newly elected legislators voting to elect four representatives to the Rajya Sabha once the Election Commission of India issues the official notification.
Currently, Ghulam Ali Khatana, a member of the Gujjar community nominated by the BJP, is the only Rajya Sabha representative from Jammu and Kashmir. Sources suggest that Khatana’s nomination by the BJP was a strategic move aimed at garnering Gujjar votes during the recent Assembly elections. Under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the 90-member Assembly is empowered to elect five Lok Sabha members and four Rajya Sabha members.
The last Rajya Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir took place in 2015. During that election, the NC-Congress alliance managed to secure one seat, and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad subsequently became the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. However, all four of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajya Sabha members retired in February 2021, leaving the Union Territory without representation in the upper house.
Dr. Farooq Abdullah, who has been a prominent political figure in Jammu and Kashmir, was previously elected to the Lok Sabha in 2014, representing the Srinagar constituency. Additionally, NC’s Hasnain Masoodi and Muhammad Akbar Lone secured victories in the Anantnag and Baramulla Lok Sabha seats, respectively. Sources further revealed that in a recent Legislature Party meeting, NC members unanimously expressed their support for Dr. Farooq Abdullah’s nomination to the Rajya Sabha, underscoring his pivotal role in the party’s strategy and commitment to advocating for the region’s interests at the national level.