Poll Fervour in J&K: NC fields Ramzan, Kichloo, Oberoi for Rajya Sabha

Srinagar, Oct 10: The National Conference (NC) on Friday announced the names of three candidates – Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan, Sajad Kichloo, and Shammi Oberoi - for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from Jammu and Kashmir, even as the party continues negotiations with the Congress for a possible alliance on the fourth seat.

Announcing the decision at a news conference in Srinagar, NC General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar said the party had finalised three names and kept one seat open pending the outcome of discussions with the Congress.

“We have kept one seat open, and talks are ongoing with the Congress,” Sagar said. “The final decision on the fourth candidate will be taken soon.”

The NC leadership did not clarify whether the party intends to leave one of the three “safe” seats for the Congress or offer the alliance partner a seat where the BJP holds a numerical advantage.

Advisor to the Chief Minister and NC Provincial President, Kashmir, Nasir Aslam Wani, confirmed that the party decided to announce the three nominations ahead of the October 13 deadline for filing nominations.

“We have nominated three candidates as the last date for filing nominations for the Rajya Sabha seats is on Monday,” Wani said.

On the upcoming Budgam and Nagrota bypolls, Wani said the party’s Parliamentary Board would meet soon to finalise candidates.

“There is still time regarding these bypolls; we will announce the names soon,” he said.

On the Supreme Court’s direction to the Centre on statehood, Wani said, “The Supreme Court’s direction to the Centre to respond on the restoration of J&K’s statehood is a positive step. It is good that four weeks have been given to the Centre to respond.”

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on September 24, 2025, announced polling for four Rajya Sabha seats from Jammu and Kashmir that have been vacant since 2021.

The elections are scheduled for October 24, with the counting of votes to take place the same evening, an hour after polling concludes.

According to the ECI, the vacancies occurred following the expiration of the terms of Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mir Muhammad Fayaz, Nazir Ahmed Laway, and Shamsher Singh.

In its statement, the ECI recalled that following the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the State was bifurcated into the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (with Legislature) and Ladakh (without Legislature).

“As per Section 9 of the said act, four sitting members of the Council of States representing the existing State of Jammu and Kashmir shall be deemed to have been elected to fill the seats allocated to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” the commission said.

However, the ECI said that the four seats had remained vacant since the end of the previous members’ tenure due to the non-availability of the required electorate at the time the vacancies occurred.

The upcoming Rajya Sabha elections mark an important milestone.

These are the first such polls since the 2024 Assembly elections, held after J&K regained its legislative assembly status.

The polls are being seen as a test of strength for the INDIA bloc and an opportunity for regional parties, especially the NC, to reassert their presence at the national level.

With nominations closing on October 13 and polling on October 24, the political landscape in J&K is expected to heat up in the coming days.