PDP to vote for National Conference in Rajya Sabha polls: Mehbooba Mufti

SRINAGAR: A day before the Rajya Sabha polls for four vacant seats in Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP chief and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday announced that the party would vote for the National Conference. Talking to reporters, Mehboboa said NC president Farooq Abdullah had spoken to her on the phone a few days back and sought our votes for RS polls. The polling for four vacant Rajya Sabha seats in J&K would be held on Friday. 88 MLAs of J&K Assembly would cast their votes to elect the four members to the Rajya Sabha.I had told him (Abdullah) that we will support NC on the condition that the party helps in the passage of our Land Resolution (also known Anti-Bulldozer) Bill in the Assembly, Mehbooba said. The PDPsJammu 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. The PDP chief said the hotel owners, whose lease period has expired, are also vulnerable, as it is being said that the leases will be ended and the properties will be re-auctioned. She said the party's second bill on regularisation of daily wagers should also be introduced and passed in the Assembly, and the NC should help in its passage. Mehbooba disclosed that NC Rajya Sabha candidate Shammi Oberoi met her yesterday and assured that the pro-people bill of the party will not be blocked by the NC in the Assembly. The PDP chief announced that PDP, which has three MLAs, is voting to keep BJP away and in favour of the party (NC) which is not worthy of trust. We will cast our votes for third seat (Shammi Oberoi) and not for the fourth seat. If they lose the fourth seat, they will blame PDP for it, she 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 dont think like that. We had formed PAGD to unite J&K and give collective leadership to challenge the BJP. They broke it for their own benefits, Mehbooba said. The PDP chief said today, NC is part of INDIA bloc alliance and Rahul Gandhi is challenging the BJP in the country. But unfortunately, they kept them (Congress) away from the RS by denying a safe seat to them. What could one seat have done? They are not worthy of trust and vote. Rajya Sabha Polls: Mehbooba offers conditional support to NC in J&K