National Conference chief Dr Farooq Abdullah will make his entry into the Rajya Sabha shortly after the government formation process is completed in J&K, NC sources revealed to News
“Yes, Dr sahab will go to Rajya Sabha soon. The decision in this regard has been taken and once the new Assembly will be formed in J&K. It is a mater of a week or so. We will hold polls for Rajya Sabha soon after government formation in J&K,” said a party source, wishing not to be named.
He said that it would be for the first time in the Union Territory, J&K will have the representation in the Rajya Sabha after three-and-a half years. Sources in NC said that newly elected legislators will elect four representatives to Rajya Sabha once the notification would be issued by the Election Commission of India.
Ghulam Ali Khatana is the only Rajya Sabha member at present who represents J&K in Rajya Sabha. He being a Gujjar face, was nominated by the BJP to active Gujjar vote bank in Jammu region ahead of Assembly polls. BJP won 29 seats in Jammu in the just concluded Assembly polls in J&K.
Under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the 90-member J&K Assembly can elect five Lok Sabha members and four Rajya Sabha members.
It is pertinent to mention that the last Rajya Sabha elections in J&K were held in 2015. The NC Chief was elected to Lok Sabha in 2014 from Srinagar Parliamentary polls. NC’s Hasnain Masoodi and Muhammad Akbar Lone won from South Kashmir and North Kashmir Lok Sabha seats respectively.
