BJP gets advantage as Sajad Lone announces abstention from RS polls; Omar appeals for unity

Srinagar, Oct 14 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference (JKPC) led by Sajad Gani Lone on Tuesday announced that his party will abstain from the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections, a move seen as giving a crucial edge to BJP candidate Sat Sharma in the polls.

Lone's decision came amid an earnest appeal by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who urged all non-BJP parties to unite and support the National Conference's fourth candidate, Imran Nabi Dar, to prevent a BJP victory.

Lone has rejected Abdullah's call.

"I would rather die than vote for the National Conference. Stop dictating to us who we should vote for and who we should not. You cannot label us. You are not a prince," the JKPC leader, who was a minister in the BJP-PDP government, told reporters here.

The polls are scheduled for October 24 and the NC is expected to easily secure three of the four Rajya Sabha seats based on the current strength of the legislative assembly.

However, the contest for the final seat is razor-thin. The assembly has a strength of 88 MLAs out of which the NC-led ruling coalition has 55.

BJP candidate Sat Sharma needs only three non-BJP MLAs to either abstain or cross-vote to ensure a victory for the saffron party. The BJP has only announced three candidates for the four seats.

Abdullah, meanwhile, termed the upcoming polls as a litmus test for political parties in the region.

"I appeal to political parties not to stay away from the elections and prove that they are against the BJP because there are only two parties contesting the polls — the BJP and the National Conference," he said in Baramulla.

Responding to Lone's announcement of abstention, Abdullah said, "Everyone knows who will benefit from such a move... What are his compulsions only he would know? But we will need everyone's support to ensure that the National Conference wins all the seats and the BJP wins none." Lone questioned the NC's commitment to fighting the BJP saying "today you are in the dock. You have to prove to the people of J-K that you did not deny a Rajya Sabha seat to the Congress on BJP's orders. Prove to the people of J-K that you are not sitting in the BJP lap." Dismissing Abdullah's assertion that abstention amounted to tacit support for the BJP, the JKPC chief added, "Your sense of entitlement is synonymous with lunacy." The chief minister, meanwhile, countered Lone's allegations, defending the party's decision to field a fourth candidate.

"Had that been the case, we would not have fielded a candidate and compromised... If Sajad is against the BJP, then he should vote for our candidate. By staying away, it is benefitting the BJP," Abdullah asserted, highlighting that his party had felt the Congress was best suited to win the fourth seat before they opted not to field a candidate.

The elections for the four seats of Rajya Sabha in J&K have been divided into three notifications. Chowdhury Mohammed Ramzan of the NC will have a direct contest with Ali Mohammed Mir of the BJP in one of the seats.

For the second seat, NC's Sajjad Kitchloo will fight against Rakesh Mahajan of the BJP.

The third seat will have Imran Nabi Dar of the NC contesting against BJP's Sat Sharma.

There are two independent candidates also in the fray and all the nomination papers will be scrutinized on October 16. PTI MIJ SKL KVK KVK