In a significant development ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress party has decided to withdraw from the contest for the four seats, scheduled to be held on October 24. This decision comes after the National Conference (NC), the leading party in the ruling coalition, declined to allocate a guaranteed 'safe seat' to the Congress.

The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president, Tariq Hamid Karra, announced the party's decision following a meeting of senior Congress leaders. Karra stated that the decision was unanimous, reflecting the party's disappointment with the NC's stance on seat sharing within the alliance. The Congress central leadership had requested a safe seat from the National Conference, but the NC offered a seat that was not secure.

The National Conference has already announced its three candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls: Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan, Shammi Oberoi, and Sajad Kichloo. Initially, the NC had kept the fourth seat open for discussion with the Congress, but after talks stalled, the Congress opted out of the race. Sources indicate that the NC's decision to not offer a safe seat stemmed from their confidence in winning all three seats they are contesting. The NC-Congress combine has an advantage in three seats based on their strength in the assembly.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also announced its candidates for the election. Sat Pal Sharma, the president of the BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit, along with Ghulam Mohammed Mir and Rakesh Mahajan, will be contesting the polls. The BJP's decision to field candidates is expected to intensify the political competition and encourage them to seek support from other parties. Sharma will be contesting one of the seats vacated by Ghulam Nabi Azad and Nazir Ahmed Laway in 2021. Mir and Mahajan will be contesting the Rajya Sabha vacancies that opened up after the terms of Mir Mohammad Fayaz and Shamsher Singh Manhas expired.

With the Congress opting out, the stage is set for a direct contest between the National Conference and the BJP for the Rajya Sabha seats. Political analysts suggest that the BJP's move will spice up the polling, as it is expected to spearhead an intensive exercise to woo MLAs from other parties to shore up support for its candidates. The NC, on the other hand, will rely on its existing strength in the Assembly and the support of its allies to secure the seats.

The Rajya Sabha elections are being held to fill the four seats that have been vacant since 2021. The Election Commission has issued separate notifications for the elections. In the 90-member Assembly, the NC has 41 members and the support of six independents. The Congress has six members, and the People's Democratic Party has three. The BJP has 27 seats in the Assembly and will need additional support to win two seats in J&K.