'Back Our Bills': PDP Offers Support To NC In J&K Rajya Sabha Polls, But Here's The Catch

Last Updated:October 16, 2025, 18:34 IST

The PDP has said it will only offer support to the NC in the Rajya Sabha elections if the party backs its bills for land rights and regularisation of daily wagers in the assembly

PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti (L) said former J&K CM Farooq Abdullah (R) had approached her, seeking support for the government in the Rajya Sabha polls. (Image: PTI/File)

Amid reports of a collapse in the alliance between the Congress and NC in Jammu and Kashmir, the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP has offered support to the ruling party ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls – but on one condition.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said it will only offer support to the National Conference (NC) in the Rajya Sabha elections if the party backs its bills for land rights and regularisation of daily wagers in the assembly.

The Jammu and Kashmir assembly session is scheduled to start on October 23 and the biennial elections to fill the four Rajya Sabha seats of the union territory, lying vacant since 2021, will be held on October 24.

Mehbooba Mufti has told NC president Farooq Abdullah that the PDP will support his party in the Rajya Sabha elections if it backs her party’s Land Bill and the Regularisation of Daily Wagers Bill in the Assembly. As polls near and candidates seek support from MLAs, the PDP has set conditions before the NC to support one of its candidates.

But, what happens if the deal does not go through?

If the PDP withholds its support from the NC, it will tilt the balance more in favour of the BJP in the Rajya Sabha polls. Linking the PDP’s Rajya Sabha support to private member bills is politically symbolic, they said. Since 1980, only three private member bills have ever been passed in the J&K assembly, they added. 

They said Mehbooba’s proposal to condition PDP’s Rajya Sabha support on the NC backing her land rights and daily wagers bills seems well crafted. Economically, regularisation will annually cost between Rs 5,000 to 6,000 crore, which neither the current government nor the Mehbooba Mufti administration could afford during 2015-2018; hence, this does not seem a genuine legislative negotiation, they added.

In a reference to her party’s decision to support the government, she said former CM Farooq Abdullah had approached her, seeking support for the government.

“Farooq Abdullah called me up and said the government needed support. I said that there are some bills that we demand be passed in the Assembly," Mehbooba said.

Her daughter and PDP leader Iltija Mufti said she does not see why the NC should not be willing to support the PDP on the land rights and daily wagers’ bills. She said she hopes to see the government rise above “partisan politics".

“Don’t see why NC shouldn’t be willing to support PDP bills whether it’s the land rights or the one to regularise daily wagers. Both were unfortunately kept in  limbo during the Budget session earlier this year. These bills seek to protect the rights of people across J&K reeling from insecurity & uncertainty over property rights & unemployment. Hope the local government rises above partisan politics at least this time," Iltija said on X.

This political churning in J&K comes at a time of the Omar Abdullah-led government completing a year on Thursday. Earlier, however, Mehbooba launched a scathing attack on Omar Abdullah, questioning his performance and drawing comparisons with Arvind Kejriwal’s governance model in New Delhi.

She praised the fact that, despite being a UT like J&K, Delhi’s governance model under Kejriwal’s leadership “worked so well". Alleging that the “Delhi L-G had a gun pointed at Arvind Kejriwal’s head", she questioned why the current J&K administration, led by Omar Abdullah, could not make similar initiatives.

“Even Arvind Kejriwal governed a UT. He provided free electricity, free water, improved schools and health services, and legalised illegal colonies. Delhi L-G had a gun pointed at Arvind Kejriwal’s head, but he still worked so well. His governance in a UT is a model. Why isn’t Omar Abdullah providing free gas, power, water, increasing the widow fund and giving employment? Not having statehood is just an excuse to not work," she said.

(With agency inputs)

Ieshan Wani

Ieshan Wani, senior correspondent, CNN-News18, has over eight years of experience in reporting, producing and editing news for broadcast, digital and print platforms. His reporting has mostly been from Kashmir....Read More

Ieshan Wani, senior correspondent, CNN-News18, has over eight years of experience in reporting, producing and editing news for broadcast, digital and print platforms. His reporting has mostly been from Kashmir....

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News elections 'Back Our Bills': PDP Offers Support To NC In J&K Rajya Sabha Polls, But Here's The Catch

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