NC, PDP spar over cross-voting in RS polls to back BJP

SRINAGAR: PDP has dismissed allegations by rival National Conference that all its three MLAs voted for BJP in the polls for four Rajya Sabha seats in Kashmir in Oct last year.

The current war of words between NC and the PDP stems from an RTI reply, which says the Mehbooba Mufti-led party didn’t appoint a polling agent during the RS polls in which NC won three seats and BJP the fourth despite lacking the numbers.

Records indicate at least four MLAs cross-voted in favour of BJP candidate Sat Sharma, who polled 32 votes against the party’s strength of 28 in the polling held on Oct 24, 2025. Despite backing from 59 members, NC couldn’t win the fourth seat.

PDP has three MLAs in Kashmir.

For the past one week, NC has been asking PDP MLAs to swear by the Quran they had not voted for the BJP. “We appointed our agent. But the PDP didn’t appoint any agent. Now the only way is that PDP president Mehbooba Mufti should swear by the Holy Quran and we will end the issue,” NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said.

PDP MLA Waheed Parra said NC’s outcry over the Rajya Sabha vote is misplaced. “It serves as a diversion from substantive concerns, notably erasure of Urdu from official records,” the MLA said.

PDP spokesperson Mohit Bhan said his party didn’t even field a candidate in RS polls. “Agents are appointed by candidates, not parties. We had three MLAs that time and since none of ours contested, appointing agents isn’t our mandate.” Bhan said.