RS polls: Sajad Lone claims NC ‘gifted’ 7 votes to BJP in ‘fixed match’ between 2 parties

Srinagar: People's Conference chief Sajad Lone on Saturday accused the ruling National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir of "gifting" seven votes to the BJP to ensure the saffron party’s victory on one seat in the Rajya Sabha polls held on Friday, calling the elections a “fixed match” between the two parties.

The National Conference (NC) won three seats, while the BJP managed one in the first Rajya Sabha elections held in Jammu and Kashmir after it became a Union territory in 2019.

“You (NC) have clearly gifted seven members to the BJP. It was a fixed match,” Lone claimed at a press conference.

The Rajya Sabha elections for four seats were divided into three notifications. In the third notification, elections were held for two seats.

While NC's Chowdhry Mohammed Ramzan won the first seat, its candidate Sajjad Kitchloo won the second.

For the third notification, the NC fielded two candidates -- G S Oberoi, also known as Shammi Oberoi, and Imran Nabi Dar. The BJP, on the other hand, fielded its Jammu and Kashmir unit chief Sat Sharma.

Oberoi got 31 votes, while Dar could only manage 21. The BJP candidate secured 32 votes, and three votes were declared invalid.

The vote tally of the BJP indicated that the party secured four more votes (28 party MLAs and four who supported it), probably from Independent MLAs.

Lone, the People’s Conference (PC) MLA from Handwara, said the NC used to point fingers at everyone before the elections, saying they were with the BJP and only the NC was against the saffron party.

“Today, we have caught them (NC) red-handed in their (BJP's) lap. They are sitting on their lap. One should see how they wasted a whole election by listening to these people. While the BJP did not come to power in J-K, it is their selected and preferred party that is ruling right now,” Lone alleged.

The PC chief also accused the NC MLAs of cross-voting.

“I am saying this with authority that all the cross-voting was done by the NC. Who are those whose votes were rejected? They are not kindergarten kids; everyone understands the process,” he said.

Lone also claimed the Rajya Sabha results were not “horse-trading”, but an “understanding”.

“The NC had a pact with Delhi. The BJP’s real tally is 70, including 42 from the NC, and not just 32 (28 party MLAs plus four who supported it in the polls),” Lone claimed.

Asked about the allegations that incarcerated AAP MLA from Doda, Mehraj Malik, voted in favour of the BJP, Lone asked who has the nerve to point fingers at someone who is in jail.

“He (Malik) is in jail, making sacrifices. Who has the nerve to point fingers at someone who is in jail? They are themselves sitting in their offices in the Secretariat, they travel in convoys of 10 cars, but have the nerve to point fingers at a person who is in Kot Balwal jail under the Public Safety Act (PSA). There is a limit to shamelessness," the PC chief said.

Mehraj Malik was arrested last month under the PSA for allegedly disturbing public order in Doda district.

On the issue of reservations, Lone said his party will launch a campaign on the ground to press for rationalisation in the process.

“This government is out to kill merit. The next disaster in J-K will be because of reservations. I want to tell you today that enough statements have been made; now we will hit the ground and agitate against reservations.

“Be it launching a hunger strike or assembling people, we will go to every household because enough is enough. This government is only doing drama and lying through its teeth,” Lone said.