SRINAGAR: BJP sprang a surprise on National Conference Friday in J&K's first Rajya Sabha election since the abrogation of Article 370 , clinching one of the four seats at stake with 32 votes – four more than its current strength of 28 in the assembly. BJP candidate Sat Sharma's victory came amid allegations of cross-voting by the governing party, which had secured ally Congress's backing and the opposition PDP's conditional support for the election. Supporters of BJP and NC were briefly locked in a confrontation outside the assembly after the results were declared. While NC's victorious trio – Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan, Sajad Ahmad Kichloo and Shammi Oberoi – were expected to win the election at a canter, Sharma's triumph led People's Conference legislator Sajad Lone to label it a

See Full Page