Sajid Raina
Srinagar, Oct 23: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday said that her party will extend support to the National Conference (NC) candidate as a third preference in the Rajya Sabha elections to ensure that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not gain a seat.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Mehbooba said the ongoing Assembly session had started on a constructive note but added that several pending issues concerning the people of Jammu and Kashmir require urgent consideration.
She said that among these are the protection of land rights and the regularisation of daily wagers, who have served in different departments for years.
Mehbooba said that her party has brought a bill to the Assembly aimed at securing ownership rights for locals over houses, shops and hotels they have been occupying or running for decades.
According to her, many hotel owners in Kashmir are being informed that their leases will not be renewed and that the properties may be auctioned. “Hotel owners who have been operating for decades are being told their leases will be terminated and handed to outsiders,” she said.
The PDP leader said that safeguarding land ownership was a central concern after the abrogation of Article 370 and the recent government measures threaten that assurance.
She said she has reached out to NC President Dr. Farooq Abdullah, seeking his party’s cooperation in ensuring that the bill on land rights is passed. “When I presented the bill, it was called ‘Land Jihad’ by some, but we hope it will get the support it deserves,” she said.
Speaking about the Rajya Sabha polls, Mehbooba said that the PDP has decided to give its three votes to the NC’s third candidate, Shammi Oberoi. “Our intention is clear, we do not want the BJP to win a seat and our votes will go to the NC candidate as the third preference,” she said.
Mehbooba also spoke about the bill concerning daily wage employees, saying that thousands of workers from departments such as PHE, R&B, Irrigation, Health, and Education have been serving for 20 to 25 years without being regularised.
She said that the PDP’s bill seeks to grant them permanent status and financial security, and urged the NC to help in getting it passed during the current session.
“In exercise of the powers vested in me as Chief Whip of the Jammu & Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (PDP), all members of the Party in the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly are hereby strictly directed to remain present in the Assembly on 24th October, 2025, the date fixed for polling of the Rajya Sabha elections,” PDP, MLA Fayaz Mir said.
He asked the legislators to cast their vote in favour of the official candidates of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, as decided by the party and asked them to refrain from abstaining, remaining absent, or voting in a manner contrary to the directions issued by the party.
“Any violation of this Whip will be treated as a breach of Party discipline and attract necessary action under relevant provisions,” he said.
