Farooq Abdullah Withdraws from RS Race Citing Health Issues
NC nominates three leaders; leaves one seat for Congress amid alliance negotiations
GG News Bureau
New Delhi/Jammu, 11th Oct: National Conference (NC) President and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has withdrawn his candidature from the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, citing health concerns. The 88-year-old veteran leader’s decision marks the end of what was expected to be his final bid for a parliamentary role.
Abdullah, who was recently hospitalised for a week, opted out of the elections scheduled for October 24, with October 13 being the last date for filing nominations. His withdrawal came as the NC officially announced the names of its three nominees—Chowdhry Ramzan, Sajad Kitchloo, and Shami Oberoi.
The NC, which hopes to secure three of the four Rajya Sabha seats allotted to Jammu and Kashmir, has left the fourth seat for its alliance partner, the Congress. However, sources within the Congress described the offer as “more symbolic than substantial.”
Based on the current electoral arithmetic, the BJP is expected to secure one seat, with its 28 MLAs in the Assembly, while the NC commands 41 members along with support from six independents and six Congress MLAs.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which has three MLAs, has yet to declare its support in the Rajya Sabha contest.
Abdullah’s withdrawal is being seen as a moment of transition within the NC, as the party navigates shifting political equations and growing discontent over the delay in Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood restoration.
