BJP workers celebrate after J&K assembly election results in Jammu (Press Trust of India file photo)
The BJP and the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir have come to an understanding over seat sharing in the elections to Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament, sources told NDTV.
The understanding between the two parties is a clear indication of government formation in the state - which is currently under President's Rule, with no party getting a clear majority in the assembly elections held last year.
The PDP had earlier announced two candidates for the state's four Rajya Sabha seats. Today, the BJP announced two candidates.
The PDP, which won 28 seats in the assembly polls, is the single-largest party in the state Assembly. The BJP won 25 seats and enjoys the support of at least two other MLAs in the 87-member house.
Taken together, their numbers are enough to get them three of the four upper house seats.
The opposition camp with its 27 seats - 15 for National Conference and 12 for Congress -- need crucial support of at least 3 independent MLAs to win the fourth.
In the afternoon, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted that his party, the National Conference, and the Congress will field a joint candidate to win one of the seats.
On January 21, the Election Commission had issued three notifications for the four seats -- one each for two seats and another for the remaining two.
While 44 votes will be needed to win the seats for which separate notifications have been issued, 30 votes each will be needed to win the remaining two.
The BJP candidates are Shamsher Singh, former state president Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and Chandra Mohan, an old RSS hand. The PDP candidates are Nazir Ahmad Laway and FA Mir - both of whom unsuccessfully contested the Assembly elections from Kulgam and Kupwara seats.