National Conference names 4th candidate for RS polls after Congress declines seat

The National Conference on Monday named party spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar as it's fourth candidate for the Rajya Sabha polls in Jammu and Kashmir after the Congress, which is part of the ruling alliance, declined to nominate anyone.

Biennial elections to fill the seats, lying vacant since 2021, will be held on October 24.

"JKNC state spokesperson @ImranNDar will be the official party nominee for the 4th Rajya Sabha seat," the National Conference posted on its official handle.

Earlier, the party's three candidates -- Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan, Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo and Gurwinder Singh alias Shammi Oberoi -- filed their nominations before the returning officer for the Rajya Sabha polls.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the NC decided to field its candidate for the fourth seat after the Congress declined to field a candidate.

Congress general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir said the Congress had sought a safe seat from its alliance partner but received no response.

"We wanted to field a candidate for the first three seats but they offered us the fourth seat which was not safe. Therefore, the Congress party decided that it will not field a candidate for the fourth seat," he added.

The BJP has fielded candidates in three seats.