NC announces Rajya Sabha candidates; Keeps one seat open amid talks with Congress
KINS Desk
Srinagar, Oct 10 (KINS): The National Conference (NC) on Friday announced the names of its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from Jammu and Kashmir, nominating senior leaders Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan, Shammi Oberoi, and Sajad Kichloo to contest the polls.
Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, NC General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar as per news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) said the party has finalized three names while leaving one seat open, probably for its alliance partner, the Congress.
“We have kept one seat open, and talks are ongoing with the Congress,” Sagar said.
However, the NC leadership did not clarify whether the Congress would be offered one of the three relatively secure seats or a competitive one where the BJP enjoys an upper hand.
Sources indicated that while the NC-Congress alliance currently holds around 24 votes for the fourth seat, the BJP commands 28 votes, giving it a numerical advantage in that contest.
Party insiders further revealed that Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain, who serves as the party’s General Secretary and is in charge of Jammu and Kashmir, has been in regular touch with the NC leadership to finalize the alliance’s strategy.
As things stand, the ruling alliance is expected to comfortably secure three of the four Rajya Sabha seats, while the contest for the fourth is likely to witness a tight race between the BJP and the opposition bloc.(KINS)
