Jammu, October 25, 2025 : Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Saturday alleged that the BJP’s victory in one Rajya Sabha seat from Jammu and Kashmir has “exposed vote chori (theft of votes)” in the recently concluded elections.
Addressing reporters in Udhampur, Choudhary said, “People used to hear that BJP steals votes, but this time it’s proven. They had 28 members, yet their candidate secured 32 votes. Where did the four extra votes come from?”
The remarks come amid an escalating blame game following the first Rajya Sabha elections in J&K since the abrogation of Article 370, in which the National Conference (NC) won three seats while the BJP clinched one.
Choudhary asserted that NC legislators did not cross-vote in favour of the BJP, claiming that “some traitors who assured their support later betrayed us.” He added that NC would “rather leave the government than align with BJP.”
Rejecting allegations by Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone that the NC “gifted seven votes” to the BJP, Choudhary countered, “Those blaming NC are doing so to hide their own deeds. What does abstaining mean? It means helping BJP.”
He said the NC had initially “offered the fourth Rajya Sabha seat to Congress,” but the latter “refused to contest,” forcing the NC to field its own candidate.
“The BJP has once again indulged in horse-trading,” Choudhary alleged, adding that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had already warned of such tactics.
He reiterated that the NC remains steadfast in its opposition to the BJP: “We can leave the government, but we will never ally with them. We speak the truth — even if it costs us security or power.”
Choudhary also praised the inclusion of Gurwinder Singh Oberoi, representing the Sikh community, among the NC’s winning candidates. “Our Rajya Sabha members will be the voice of J&K’s poor before the Prime Minister and Home Minister,” he said.
The deputy CM concluded by vowing an aggressive campaign for the Nagrota bypolls, saying the NC would “fight with full strength to secure the seat.”
