PDP to Support NC on Third Seat in Rajya Sabha Polls: Mehbooba Mufti

Srinagar, Oct 23: The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has announced it will support the National Conference (NC) for the third seat in the Rajya Sabha polls.

PDP President Mehbooba Mufti stated that while the NC “cannot be trusted,” the party will vote for them to safeguard Jammu and Kashmir’s rights and strengthen the INDIA alliance.

Speaking to the media as per Kashmir Convener, Mehbooba Mufti said, “We have three members, and they will vote for the 3rd seat (under notification No. 3) and not for the 4th seat, because if they lose the 4th seat, they will blame us.”

She elaborated that the NC does not deserve the support, but it is being given for the larger cause of keeping “fascist forces away.” The decision was made after discussions with the party’s leadership and its MLAs, following an NC request for support.

PDP President revealed that NC President Farooq Abdullah had called her to request her party’s backing. This outreach was followed by a meeting on Wednesday between the PDP president and NC’s Rajya Sabha candidate, Shammi Oberoi, at her residence in Srinagar.

Pertinently, Polling for the four vacant Rajya Sabha seats from J&K will be held on Friday, with 88 MLAs of the J&K Assembly casting their votes.

Mehbooba clarified that her support was conditional. “I had told him (Abdullah) that we will support the NC on the condition that the party helps in the passage of our Land Resolution Bill, also known as the Anti-Bulldozer Bill, in the Assembly,” she said. The PDP’s Jammu and Kashmir Land Rights and Regularisation Bill, 2025, aims to protect long-standing occupants from forcible evictions and grant legal ownership to those in continuous possession over decades.

During the press conference  PDP chief also highlighted the vulnerability of hotel owners whose leases have expired, that there are concerns the leases may be terminated and the properties re-auctioned. She added that the party’s second bill on the regularisation of daily wagers should also be introduced and passed in the Assembly with the NC’s help.

Explaining the strategic reasoning, Mehbooba said, “The NC can divert its three votes from seat No. 3 to seat No. 4. We are voting to stop the fascist and communal forces. But these (NC) people don’t think like that.” She recalled that the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) was formed to unite J&K and provide collective leadership to challenge the BJP, but the NC broke it for its own benefit.

The PDP chief further added by criticizing the NC’s current stance within the INDIA bloc. “Today, the NC is part of the INDIA bloc alliance, and Rahul Gandhi is challenging the BJP in the country. But unfortunately, they kept the Congress away from the Rajya Sabha by denying them a safe seat. What could one seat have done? They are not worthy of trust and a vote.”