Umer Maqbool
Srinagar, Oct 24: The ruling National Conference’s meticulously crafted plan to sweep all four Rajya Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir was derailed by one man—BJP leader and Leader of Opposition, Sunil Kumar Sharma.
The 48-year-old Sharma, known for his quiet yet calculated political maneuvers, had been working behind the scenes for the past two weeks to secure the BJP’s victory on the fourth seat. The odds were heavily stacked against the party, especially after the Congress, PDP, and all independent MLAs publicly declared their support for the National Conference earlier in the day.
With a clear numerical advantage, the NC-led alliance was poised to win both the third and fourth seats. The BJP’s chances appeared slim, particularly after independents Shabir Kulley and Sheikh Khursheed announced their intention to vote for the ruling alliance to block the BJP.
However, cross-voting, intentional cancellation of votes by 7-8 MLAs helped the BJP clinch the fourth seat, sending its second-ever Member of Parliament to the Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir.
The NC’s defeat on this seat is being viewed as a political embarrassment, marking its failure to replicate the success of the 2009 Rajya Sabha elections when it had secured both the third and fourth seats.
To understand how the BJP pulled off this unexpected win, this reporter spoke to at least 10 MLAs from various parties.
Their accounts point to Sharma’s discreet and strategic maneuvering, which outwitted the NC’s top leadership despite their intensive poll management efforts.
Described by colleagues as a shrewd politician, Sharma is known for maintaining cordial ties across party lines in Kashmir’s political landscape.
“He has friends across the board, but he is a friend to none when it comes to organizational matters,” a senior BJP leader said. “He began working on independents and party-affiliated MLAs early on and managed to secure their support.”
Sources familiar with Sharma’s strategy revealed that he held a series of secret meetings with select independents and party-affiliated MLAs in Srinagar.
“He would hold late-night meetings with MLAs at locations including Airport Road, Hyderpora, and Gupkar to influence their voting in favor of the BJP. He knew his official residence at M-1, Church Lane would attract attention, so he chose other venues,” one source said.
Another source added that Sharma’s actions outside the Assembly complex, in full media glare on the first day of the autumn session, were part of a calculated strategy to shape perceptions ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls.
“He was successful in his intent,” the source said. (KNO)
