The result of just concluded Rajya Sabha polls may have given quite an edge to ruling National Conference but it has sent shockwaves across political corridors of the Jammu and Kashmir as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to 'secure' a fourth seat despite lacking the numerical strength to do so.
While Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been trying wash off hands of any 'foul play', the surprise and suspense over additional four MLAs has triggered allegations of cross-voting, deliberate invalidation of ballots, and intentional misallocation of votes within the ruling alliance.BJP candidate Sat Pal Sharma secured 32 votes, four more than the BJP’s actual strength in the assembly, indicating that at least four MLAs from outside the party voted in his favour.
The second winning candidate, Shammi Oberoi of the National Conference (NC), polled 31 votes, one more than the number earmarked for him, suggesting that a vote meant for another NC candidate, Imran Nabi Dar, may have been misdirected.Dar, who was expected to receive between 28 and 29 votes, polled only 21, falling short by seven or eight. Collectively, the NC alliance, comprising 41 NC, six Congress, seven independents, three PDP, and one CPI(M) MLAs, had the numerical strength to secure both the third and fourth seats. Yet, the bloc managed only 51 votes instead of the expected 58.
A senior NC leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the results made it “unambiguously clear” that the BJP had benefited from cross-voting and deliberate vote cancellation.“NC MLAs did not vote for BJP. We know that for sure,” the leader said. “There is no confusion within the NC that PDP legislators did. They also voted for NC. There are at least seven independent candidates, and some among them clearly switched sides.”
“The party had issued a whip asking its leaders to vote for NC candidates. Common people do not know, but political leaders creating confusion certainly know that If an MLA defies the party whip, the consequences can be serious under India’s anti-defection law (Tenth Schedule of the Constitution), which can even result in the disqualification of an MLA,” said the insider.He added that much of the noise circulating on social media is part of an orchestrated campaign to deflect attention from those who enabled the BJP’s win. “This is to deviate Kashmiris’ attention from who the four people really are,” he said.
The cross-voting episode is expected to spark a major confrontation between parties and could reshape political equations within the J&K Assembly.The PDP, which had extended support to NC’s candidates, also denied any role in aiding the BJP. A senior PDP functionary said, “Our MLAs have voted as per the understanding reached with the NC. We verified every ballot, and there was no deviation. This narrative of PDP helping BJP is completely baseless and is being floated to malign us.”
Another PDP leader added that the party was “surprised but not shocked” by the outcome. “The BJP has mastered the art of using confusion as a tool. What happened here is part of a larger design, to divide the opposition and create mistrust among alliance partners,” he said.Political observers believe the controversy will deepen as pressure mounts to reveal the identities of those who cross-voted. NC leaders claim that two independent MLAs from Kashmir and one MLA from a party that publicly opposes the BJP are among those suspected of siding with the saffron party.
For now, however, the mystery over the “missing votes” has raised uncomfortable questions within the alliance and may well mark the beginning of a new round of political realignments in Jammu Kashmir.
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