The BJP on Sunday announced its candidates for three of the four vacant Rajya Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the October 24 elections. J&K BJP president Sat Pal Sharma will contest one of the seats vacated in 2021 by Ghulam Nabi Azad and Nazir Ahmed Laway. Dr Ali Mohammad Mir and Rakesh Mahajan have been named for seats previously held by Mir Mohammad Fayaz and Shamsher Singh Manhas.
Sharma, a former minister in the BJP-PDP coalition government, led the party’s J&K unit from 2015 to 2018. Rakesh Mahajan is the state BJP vice-president, while Ali Mohammad Mir contested the 2024 Assembly polls from Khan Sahib but lost.
Mir and Mahajan will contest seats that are expected to favor the ruling National Conference-led coalition, which holds 53 MLAs compared to BJP’s 28. The NC plans to contest three seats, leaving one open for potential talks with ally Congress.
If Congress stays out, one of the two remaining seats will go to BJP, likely ensuring Sharma’s victory. However, if Congress joins the race, support from PDP, AAP, People’s Conference, and Independents who are generally opposed to BJP could tip the contest toward the NC.
With five nominated MLA seats yet to be filled, Congress leader Naresh Gupta has argued that it would be inappropriate for Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to make nominations after election notification.