National Conference-Congress alliance set to form govt in Jammu & Kashmir
The National Conference-Congress alliance is set to form the next government in Jammu and Kashmir, with vote counting trends from today's assembly elections showing the coalition significantly ahead of its closest rival, the BJP.
In Haryana, the ruling BJP appears to be overcoming a ten-year anti-incumbency wave, leading in 49 out of 90 seats -- well beyond the majority mark. Congress is leading in 35 seats.
In Jammu and Kashmir, where the assembly elections were held in three phases during September-October, the Election Commission's trends show the National Conference leading in 43 seats, Congress in 7, and the BJP in 28. The People's Democratic Party (PDP) and People's Conference are ahead in two seats each, while Independents lead in six.
This is the first assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir since it lost its statehood and special constitutional status under Article 370 in August 2019, when it was also divided into two Union territories, reports our New Delhi correspondent.
National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah, who is leading in both Budgam and Ganderbal constituencies, stressed the importance of respecting the people's mandate.
"Transparency should be there. Whatever happens should be done in a transparent manner. There should be no fiddling with the peoples' mandate. If the mandate of the people is against the BJP, then the BJP should not indulge in any 'jugaad' (machinations) or something else," he told reporters in Srinagar.
Meanwhile, PDP President Mehbooba Mufti's daughter, Iltija Mufti, conceded defeat to NC leader Bashir Ahmad Veeri in the Srigufwara-Bijbehara constituency.
Yusuf Tarigami, CPI(M) leader and part of the NC-Congress alliance, said that the results reflect the people's discontent with the central government and its policies.
"The vote of the people is clearly against the BJP government," he said, expressing optimism that a new secular government would bring relief to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
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