Says “Highly Improbable They Didn’t Know Rules”; Remarks “Unfortunately, the Joke Is on the People”
*Srinagar, April 29:* J&K Peoples Conference President and MLA from Handwara Sajad Gani Lone on Wednesday sharply criticised BJP, National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party, accusing them of colluding in what he described as match fixing during the Rajya Sabha elections.
Drawing from personal experience, Lone recalled his participation in the 2015 Rajya Sabha vote. “I remember in 2015 I cast my vote in Rajya Sabha. Our party did not have a candidate, but the ruling alliance requested us to have an agent of their choice,” he stated.
He confirmed that the appointed person was a non-MLA who proceeded to verify his vote and that of his colleague and fellow MLA, Advocate Bashir Ahmed Dar.
Lone questioned the conduct of both NC and PDP, expressing serious doubts over their claimed ignorance of election rules. “It seems highly improbable that PDP or NC did not know the rules,” he said, underlining that the appointment of polling agents is among the most critical procedural steps in Rajya Sabha elections.
Citing election rules recently highlighted by journalist Umer in a widely-circulated tweet, Lone emphasized that the regulations carry no ambiguity.
“A party can appoint an agent, whether the party fields a candidate or not. The only time when you cannot appoint an agent is when the party does not want to appoint one,” he asserted.
Pointing to what he called deliberate inaction, Lone said: “That NC did not insist on the appointment of agents, and PDP simply did not appoint agents, hints at a much bigger spread in match fixing.”
He further noted that an RTI filed by journalist Umer strongly indicates that at least three parties BJP, NC and PDP were part of the Rajya Sabha match fixing, and that the BJP could not have won the Rajya Sabha seat without the active support of NC and PDP.
Lone concluded his remarks with a sharp rebuke directed at the political establishment, reserving his deepest concern for the electorate. “Good luck to the people of Kashmir. Unfortunately, the joke is on them,” he said.
