Srinagar, Oct 13:: Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Dr Jitendra Singh, on Monday ruled out the use of any “unfair means” by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir. He called on legislators to vote with their conscience, asserting that the Union Territory’s future is safest under the BJP leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Dr Singh made these remarks while addressing reporters in Srinagar after accompanying the BJP’s three candidates — Sat Sharma, Ali Mohammad Mir, and Rakesh Mahajan — who formally submitted their nomination papers for the 24 October elections to four Rajya Sabha seats from J&K.
Dismissing speculations of inducements or cross-voting, Dr Singh said, “It is wrong to suggest that the BJP will incite cross-voting or indulge in buying votes. Ours is a democratic party, rooted in democratic values. We neither practice nor promote unethical tactics.”
He stressed that the party’s approach would be principled, relying on the merit of its candidates and the record of governance under Prime Minister Modi to appeal to the elected legislators of the J&K Assembly.
Dr Singh appealed directly to non-BJP MLAs, urging them to rise above party lines and consider the larger interests of the Union Territory. “If MLAs listen to their conscience, it will tell them that the future of Jammu and Kashmir is safe in the hands of the BJP,” he said. “We believe legislators will choose leaders who are experienced, sincere, and committed to public service — qualities embodied by our candidates.”
He highlighted that the Rajya Sabha polls are not bound by a party whip, giving MLAs the freedom to vote as they see fit.
The BJP has fielded three candidates for the four available seats — a bold move given the party’s numerical disadvantage in the 88-member legislative assembly, where it holds 28 seats.
“Our candidates — Sat Sharma, Ali Mohammad Mir, and Rakesh Mahajan — are seasoned leaders who have spent decades in public life. They represent the aspirations of various communities across Jammu and Kashmir,” Singh said. “They will be the strongest voices for the Union Territory in the Upper House of Parliament.”
The Union Minister also invoked Prime Minister Modi’s personal commitment to J&K, recalling symbolic and developmental gestures reflecting his engagement with the region. “Even after the devastating floods of 2014, it was in Jammu and Kashmir that Prime Minister Modi spent his first Diwali as PM,” Singh noted. He cited a series of development projects, infrastructure investments, and security reforms introduced in the region since 2014 as reasons why the BJP deserves broader support.
“In the last 11 years, the Prime Minister has given J&K the highest priority — from roads to railways, from education to employment, from grassroots democracy to ending corruption. Strengthening the BJP’s presence in the Rajya Sabha will ensure these efforts continue and are represented robustly in Parliament,” he added.
