NC to Field Fourth Rajya Sabha Candidate After Congress Opts Out, Confirms Omar Abdullah
Srinagar, Oct 13: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said that the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir will serve as a political litmus test, clearly revealing which parties stand with the BJP and which remain opposed to its ideology and influence in the Union Territory. Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Omar emphasized that the October 24 polls, which will fill four vacant seats in the Rajya Sabha, are not just about representation but also about political alignment and moral clarity in the current political landscape.
“This election will show who stands with the BJP and who stands against it,” Omar said, asserting that no political party in Jammu and Kashmir has publicly supported the BJP over the past year. “The BJP, on its own, does not have the numbers to win even one seat. If they do manage to secure a victory, it will not be through democratic support but through the influence of money power, muscle power, and the misuse of central agencies,” he added.
The Chief Minister confirmed that the National Conference (NC) will also field a candidate for the fourth Rajya Sabha seat, despite earlier discussions with its alliance partner, the Congress. “We had initially named three candidates and believed that Congress had the best chance on the fourth seat, but they chose not to contest. In that situation, we will field our own candidate,” Omar clarified.
Responding to speculation regarding internal dynamics within the party, Omar dismissed any suggestion that NC president Farooq Abdullah had been sidelined. He called Farooq Abdullah “an asset not only for the party but for the entire nation.” “He is the tallest leader from Jammu and Kashmir, respected across India. The question of sidelining him does not arise. Who would dare to refuse Farooq Sahib if he wished to contest? He remains our guiding force,” Omar said with emphasis.
On the question of Farooq Abdullah contesting the Budgam by-election, the Chief Minister firmly ruled out the possibility, saying that the senior leader had already decided not to contest the Rajya Sabha elections and would therefore not engage in the physically demanding campaign for an assembly seat. “A person who has chosen not to enter the Rajya Sabha will not put himself through the rigours of an assembly campaign,” he remarked.
Discussing the by-elections for Budgam and Nagrota constituencies, Omar said that the NC would announce its candidates in due course after thorough internal consultations. He reiterated that the party remains committed to transparent political engagement, grounded in the principles of democratic representation and regional equity.
Political observers view Omar Abdullah’s remarks as a strong message to both allies and rivals ahead of the crucial October 24 Rajya Sabha polls, which will be the first such elections in Jammu and Kashmir since 2021. The outcome, they say, will not only determine representation in the Upper House but could also signal the emerging balance of power among regional parties, alliances, and the BJP’s attempts to expand its footprint in the Union Territory’s legislature.
Omar’s statements underscore his strategy of positioning the National Conference as the principal bulwark against the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir, seeking to rally secular, regional, and like-minded forces to resist what he described as the BJP’s “politics of coercion and control.” As the Rajya Sabha election approaches, the political atmosphere in the Union Territory is expected to intensify.