NC, PDP in war of words over Rajya Sabha polls, closure of seminary, ‘sidelining’ Urdu

The ruling National Conference (NC) and the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) were engaged in a war of words on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, over the Rajya Sabha elections and the closure of the seminary in Kashmir.

Inaugurating a multi-purpose sports complex at Tangmarg Government Degree College in north Kashmir, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, “Those who helped the BJP in the Rajya Sabha elections have been exposed through Right to Information (RTI). No one from my party will act against the organisation.”

In October 2025, J&K held three rounds of polling for four Rajya Sabha seats. According to data from the Election Commission of India (ECI), the third round received the highest number of invalid votes, with three out of 87 votes cast. BJP’s Sat Sharma got 32 votes; this was four more than their strength and NC candidates Shammi Oberoi got 31 votes and Imran Nabi Dar 21 votes. In the third round, which was won by the BJP, the NC lost seven votes, four of which were cross-voted and three votes were invalid.

According to an RTI, the three-vote Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had not appointed polling officers. The party had openly offered support to the NC. But the NC is now slandering the PDP’s voting pattern.

PDP accused the ruling NC of using the issue as a delaying tactic. “This is fundamentally not about the Rajya Sabha; it serves to distract from the core concerns, especially the Siraj-ul-Aloom controversy and the deletion of Urdu from official records,” said PDP legislator Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra.

The PDP accused the NC of tearing apart the People’s Agenda for Gupkar Declaration, an amalgam of parties in J&K after the Center ended the special status in 2019.

Mr. Parra said the PDP chief showed magnanimity and decided “neither to abstain nor to impose conditions.”

“Instead of dwelling on the single Rajya Sabha seat lost and putting the blame on the PDP, it would be good for the government to focus on ensuring that your pre-existing 50 MLAs and five MPs provide effective governance,” Mr. Parra said.

Meanwhile, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti accused the NC of dragging the Holy Quran into political competition. “I wish NC leaders had opened their mouths when the Waqf Bill was passed. They had spoken up when Siraj-ul-Uloom School was closed,” said Ms. Mufti.

He accused the NC of remaining silent on the alleged “destruction” of the Urdu language as well as surveillance of mosque committees, maulvis and imams.

“People’s houses are being demolished in the name of drug dealers. Before that, houses of militant sympathizers were being demolished. Employees are being dismissed from government jobs. They are watching a show,” he added.