PDP MLA Says Controversy Over Rajya Sabha Polls is Diversion from Bigger Issues

SRINAGAR: PDP MLA Waheed Para argued that controversy over recent RTI revelations that PDP did not appoint authorised agent for Rajya Sabha polls is being used to divert attention from the NC's ban on Shopian Dar Uloom matter and removal of Urdu from official records. "The National Conference’s outcry over the Rajya Sabha vote is misplaced. This is not fundamentally about the Rajya Sabha - it serves as a diversion from substantive concerns, notably the Siraj-ul-Aloom controversy and the erasure of Urdu from official records," Para said in a post on X. On October 24, 2025 RS polls for four vacant seats in J&K was conducted and NC, despite enjoying the backing of 59 members, won only three seats and unexpectedly lost the 4th seat to BJP. NC candidate Imran Nabi Dar, who contested the fourth seat, was defeated by BJP’s J&K president Sat Sharma. Sharma secured 32 votes, four more than BJP’s tally of 28 votes, while three votes were declared invalid. Imran polled only 21 votes. An RTI reply to a query has revealed that PDP, which had three MLAs at time of Rajya Sabha polls, did not appoint authorised agents for RS elections.