Jammu & Kashmir Election Results 2024 Updates: Early vote counting trends show clear lead for Congress-NC alliance in Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, the National Conference vice president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, is leading on Ganderbal.
The ECI declared NC chief as winner in Budgam. The Union Territory held its first assembly elections in ten years, which is also the first assembly poll after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 that granted special status. Voting was held in three phases in the 90 assembly seats: September 18, September 25, and October 1.
According to poll panel data, 63.45 per cent voter turnout was recorded in all three phases. A voter turnout of 61% was registered in the first phase, 57.3% in the second phase of voting and 68.72% in the third phase.
In the multi-cornered fight, the National Conference and the Congress fought the elections in an alliance and the People's Democratic Party, in addition to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the two other major players.
Today's voting results will decide the electoral fate of political heavyweights, including former ministers Tara Chand, Muzaffar Baig, Taj Mohiuddin, Raman Bhalla, Basharat Bukhari and Sajad Lone. Other key candidates in the fray are National Conference' Omar Abdullah, J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina, Congress' Tariq Hamid Karra, Apni party's Altaf Bukhari, CPI-M's Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, PDP's Iltija Mufti, PDP's Waheed ur Rehman Para and Congress' Ghulam Ahmad Mir.
What exit poll predictions say?
Various exit poll projections on Saturday placed the National Conference-Congress alliance in pole position with the regional party predicted to get the lion's share of the seats.
According to The People Pulse survey projections, the NC-Congress alliance may get 46-50 seats, the BJP may win 23-27, the PDP may take over 7-11 while the others may get 4-6 seats. Another exit poll, the Axis My India predicted a hung assembly in the state. The projections indicate 35-45 seats for NC-Congress alliance, 24-34 seats for the BJP can win. Meanwhile, Gulistan News on Republic TV projected 28-30 seats for the NC, 3-6 seats for the Congress, 5-7 seats for the PDP and 8-16 seats for other parties and independents.
Notably, the exit poll projections have indicated that no single party is expected to cross the 46-seat majority mark, which is essential to form the government in the Union Territory. The results today will determine how accurately the pollsters predicted the results of the Jammu-Kashmir elections this time.
Source: Live Mint
