News Brief
BJP Names Sat Pal Sharma, Ghulam Mir, Rakesh Mahajan For 24 October Rajya Sabha Polls In J&K
A BJP supporter with party flag during an election campaign rally. (Representative Image) (Samir Jana/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday (12 October) announced three nominees — including J&K unit chief Sat Pal Sharma — for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections to four seats in Jammu and Kashmir, set to be held on 24 October, Indian Express reported.
Alongside Sharma, the party fielded Ghulam Mohammed Mir and Rakesh Mahajan as its official candidates.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has released three separate notifications to conduct elections for the four vacant Rajya Sabha seats in J&K.
Based on the numerical strength in the J&K assembly, the National Conference–Congress alliance currently holds an advantage in three of the four seats, leaving one in the BJP’s favour.
The BJP’s move to contest all four seats has set the stage for a high-stakes battle.
The party is expected to launch an intensive outreach to MLAs across party lines to strengthen its numbers.
Earlier on Friday, the ruling National Conference named its three nominees for the 24 October Rajya Sabha polls and confirmed ongoing talks with the Congress regarding the fourth seat.
The four Rajya Sabha seats fell vacant in February 2021 when terms of PDP MPs — Mir Mohammad Fayaz and Nazir Ahmed Laway — BJP’s Shamsher Singh, and Ghulam Nabi Azad (then Congress) ended.
These seats remained unfilled as Jammu & Kashmir was under President’s Rule after its 2019 reorganisation into two Union Territories—Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
The current Legislative Assembly of Jammu & Kashmir was formed following the November 2024 polls.
On 25 September, the Election Commission announced that voting for the four Rajya Sabha seats would take place on 24 October, with nominations closing on 13 October.
Counting of votes is scheduled for the evening of the 24 October.
