Delay in filling up vacant seats
The demand by some political parties for by-election in Budgam and Nagrota assembly constituencies, and election for four vacant seats in Rajya Sabha for Jammu and Kashmir is getting louder. The leaders of ruling National Conference (NC) and the opposition PDP in their latest statements have reiterated their demand for the by- election in Budgam and Nagrota. NC has also expressed displeasure over the delay in filling up of the four vacant seats in Rajya Sabha for Jammu and Kashmir.
The by-election in Budgam and Nagrota assembly constituencies will help the people of the two constituencies to have their representation in the assembly. Right now they are unrepresented. In the 2024 assembly polls Budgam seat was won by NC and Nagrota by BJP. If the two parties retain their respective seats in the by-election, a message will go that they are still in control in their strongholds. A loss may give a hope to the sidelined rival parties to consolidate their position and recover the lost ground for future election.
The final electoral rolls for Budgam and Nagrota assembly constituencies were published on May 5 this year after special summary revision. It was being expected by political circles that Election Commission of India (ECI) , which has has recently announced election and by-election in some states, will also make an announcement regarding by-poll in Budgam and Nagrota. But this did not happen. Subsequently, the political parties are pressing for the demand for early by-election in the two constituencies.
The Budgam seat fell vacant as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah vacated the seat. In 2024 assembly polls, he had contested from two constituencies, Budgam and Ganderbal and won both the seats. The Nagrota seat fell vacant due to the demise of BJP leader and MLA Devender Singh Rana.
Political observers say the by-election in Budgam will be also interesting in view of the reported difference of opinion between NC member of Parliament (MP) Syed Aga Ruhullah and his top party leadership on some important issues. However, the party is denying any serious differences but reports do appear in media regarding all is not that well between Ruhullah and NC leadership. Ruhullah in past had represented the Budgam constituency in the assembly. There is a demand by a section of NC circles in Budgam that their party candidate this time should be a local. The demand is seemingly supported by those also who are close to Ruhullah.
PDP may try to get some political mileage in Budgam because of the reported differences in the NC. But will NC allow it or get united, can become clear at the by-election time.
NC is unhappy over the delay in election for four vacant seats in Rajya Sabha for Jammu and Kashmir. The party is expecting to win the three seats with the support of its allies Congress, CPI( M) and few independent MLAs. If some reports doing rounds in the political circles are to be believed, then NC President Dr Farooq Abdullah is likely to gain entry into the Rajya Sabha whenever the election is held. In past Dr Abdullah had been the member of Lok Sabha a number of times and he was also a union minister once.
The four seats in Rajya Sabha fell vacant in February, 2021 when Ghulam Nabi Azad, Fayaz Ahmad Mir, Nazir Ahmad Laway and Shamsher Singh Manhas completed their respective terms. Mir and Laway were elected to the upper house of the parliament on PDP tickets, while Singh on the BJP. Azad was Congress leader and in fact leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha when his term came to an end. Later, he resigned from Congress and formed his own party, Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP). Despite Azad having a very successful political career spread over decades, mostly at national level, his party performed poorly in 2024 parliamentary and assembly polls and could not win even a single seat.
NC had hardly left any space for any political party to win assembly polls in a big way in Kashmir. In Jammu, the BJP dominated the scene even as NC got seats in twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch and Ramban district. However, Azad himself did not contest the assembly and parliamentary polls last year. Most of the known Congress leaders who had joined DPAP rejoined Congress. Only a few days back a trusted colleague of Azad, Mohammad Amin Bhat, also joined back the Congress.
The services of Azad as leader of opposition or earlier as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir were lauded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his speech in Rajaya Sabha in February, 2021. The Prime Minister recalled the way the Azad as Chief Minister had handled the situation after a grenade attack by terrorists on a bus, carrying tourists mostly from Gujarat, on Srinagar outskirts on May 26, 2006.
Author is senior editor, Greater Kashmir
