Polling begins for four RS seats in J&K

JAMMU :  Polling for four Rajya Sabha seats in Jammu and
Kashmir began this morning amid tight security arrangements.    The polling, which started at J&K Legislative Assembly Secretariat lobby from 0900 hrs, will end at 1600 hrs.    Former Union Minister and Leader of Opposition Gulam Nabi Azad among seven candidates are in the fray for RS polls. Other contestants are PDP’s Mir Mohammad Fayaz and Nazir Ahmad Laway; BJP’s Shamsher Singh and Chander Mohan Sharma and Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo and Nasir Aslam Wani of NC.
Both BJP-PDP and NC-Congress are fighting the elections under seat sharing arrangements.
PDP, with 28 seats, is the single-largest party in the State Assembly, which is currently in suspended animation, while BJP has 25 seats in the 87-member House.    According to political analysts, the BJP-PDP combine is likely to win three seats and Mr Azad, who has support of 28 members including 12 of Congress, 15 of NC and CPI-M member M Y Tarigami, can win another term if he gets support of two more members.    Seven seats are shared by smaller parties and Independents. (AGENCIES)