Rajya Sabha Winners Vow to Represent Jammu Kashmir’s Voice in Parliament

SRINAGAR: The newly elected Rajya Sabha members from Jammu and Kashmir on Friday pledged to be the voice of the people in Parliament, with the National Conference (NC) securing three of the four seats and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) taking one.

Senior NC leader Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan described the outcome as a “great victory,” crediting MLAs from NC, Congress, PDP and independents for supporting the party’s candidates. “It is a win for NC President Dr Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah,” Ramzan said, adding that the result amounted to a rejection of the August 5, 2019, decision.

Another NC winner, Shami Oberoi, expressed satisfaction over the party winning three seats but regretted missing the fourth. “We will become the voice of Jammu and Kashmir’s people in Parliament,” he said.

Senior NC leader Sajad Kichloo thanked party leadership and the 56 MLAs who voted in his favour. “After 1982, Chenab has got a voice in Parliament,” he said, dedicating his victory to the people of Chenab and promising to work for the restoration of statehood and special status. “We will strive hard to fight for the cause for which we have been sent to the Rajya Sabha,” he added.

BJP’s Sat Sharma, who secured the fourth seat, called his win a reflection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. “This is BJP’s and PM Modi’s win. I am grateful to all the MLAs who supported us. I will dedicate these six years to serving my people and the nation,” Sharma said. Dismissing NC’s allegations of horse-trading, he remarked that the party should “look at its own actions.”

The elections for the four Rajya Sabha seats were held earlier in the day, marking an important political contest in the Union Territory since the abrogation of Article 370.