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Srinagar, Oct 24 (IANS) Rajya Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir concluded peacefully on Friday with 86 MLAs casting their votes, while detained Doda MLA Mehraj Malik voted through postal ballot, and People’s Conference (PC) MLA Sajjad Lone abstained from the voting process.
Voting took place in the Legislative Assembly complex of Srinagar.
By-elections are going to be held on November 11 after two seats, Nagrota and Budgam, fell vacant in the total 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.
The results of all four Rajya Sabha seats will be declared after 4 pm
Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) Khurshid Ahmed has also announced support to the NC alliance.
With its 41 MLAs voting with the support of six Congress, five independents, CPI (one MLA from M), three from PDP and one MLA from AIP, the NC candidates have an edge over their BJP rivals.
The BJP can win the fourth seat only if there is some cross voting by those who had otherwise declared support for NC candidates.
NC has nominated Muhammad Ramzan Choudhary, Sajjad Kitchlu, Shami Oberoi and Imran Nabi Dar.
The BJP has nominated three candidates, including its Jammu and Kashmir president Sat Sharma.
If NC does not get more than 28 votes for the fourth Rajya Sabha seat, then BJP alone with 28 votes will have a chance for the fourth Rajya Sabha seat.
In the 2024 assembly elections, NC had won 42, BJP 29, Congress 6, PDP 3, CPI(M) 1, PC 1, AIP 1, Aam Aadmi Party 1 and 6 independent candidates had won.
Later, five independent MLAs decided to join the NC, while the Congress supported the NC government from outside without joining it.
–IANS
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