Rajya Sabha Polls Expose Cracks Within Kashmir's Old Guard

After four long years, Jammu and Kashmir witnessed the return of Rajya Sabha elections, an indirect poll where elected legislators, not citizens, cast their votes. While the process itself appeared procedural, the results opened a new chapter in Kashmir's political story, marked by whispers of betrayal, shifting loyalties, and uneasy alliances.

- Raqif Makhdoomi

It began when the Leader of the Opposition alleged that several National Conference (NC) legislators were ready to switch sides to the BJP. The charge created ripples across the valley, especially with Rajya Sabha polls just days away. Suddenly, drawing rooms and newsrooms alike were buzzing: would cross-voting actually happen?

The NC, the ruling party in the state, found itself in a difficult spot. Its ally, the Congress, accused it of monopolizing the seats. Out of four seats, NC kept three and left one for the Congress, a seat Congress leaders believed was unwinnable. Feeling sidelined, the state Congress chief said the decision on supporting NC's candidate would be left to the central leadership, exposing clear cracks within the alliance.