BJP Surges Past Congress In Haryana, Congress-NC Alliance Leads In Jammu And Kashmir

In a dramatic turn of events, the BJP has overtaken Congress in Haryana as the party crosses the majority mark, defying earlier exit poll predictions.

Meanwhile, in Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress-National Conference (NC) alliance is maintaining a strong lead, despite expectations of a close contest.

Haryana Assembly Elections: BJP Eyes Historic Third Term

With 90 Assembly seats at stake in Haryana, the majority mark stands at 46. Early trends showed the Congress in the lead, briefly crossing the halfway mark, but the BJP has now surged ahead, leading in 47 seats compared to Congress’s 34.

This puts the BJP in a strong position to secure a third consecutive term, a feat no party has achieved since Haryana’s inception in 1966.

Regional parties like Om Prakash Chautala’s Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) are showing minimal impact, with the INLD leading in just three seats. The Dushyant Chautala-led Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), which allied with the BJP in 2019, has yet to make a mark in the early results.

Congress-NC Alliance Dominates in Jammu and Kashmir

In Jammu and Kashmir, where elections were held for the first time in a decade, the Congress-NC alliance is leading in 49 of the 90 seats, while the BJP trails with 23 seats.

The Mehbooba Mufti-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is ahead in only two seats, and independents are leading in 10 constituencies.

Despite predictions of a possible hung assembly, the Congress-NC alliance seems poised to form the next government. However, concerns remain about the potential influence of the five Lieutenant Governor-nominated MLAs in government formation.

Key Candidates and Constituencies

Haryana: Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda is leading in Garhi Sampla-Kiloi, while Olympic wrestler and Congress candidate Vinesh Phogat leads in Julana. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini is ahead in Ladwa, while JJP leader Dushyant Chautala is trailing in Uchana Kalan.
Jammu and Kashmir: NC leader Omar Abdullah leads in both Ganderbal and Budgam. BJP’s Ravinder Raina is ahead in Nowshera, while PDP’s Iltija Mufti and People’s Conference leader Sajad Gani Lone are trailing.

Changing Voter Dynamics in Haryana

The Congress appears to be benefiting from a shift in vote share away from regional parties like the INLD and JJP, while the BJP’s vote share remains consistent at around 38%, close to its performance in the 2019 polls.

Historic Elections in Jammu and Kashmir

The Jammu and Kashmir elections were the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, which reduced the region to a Union Territory. The Congress and NC continued their INDIA bloc alliance for the Assembly polls, while the PDP opted to contest independently.

Haryana: BJP’s Battle Against Anti-Incumbency

In Haryana, polling took place on October 5 with a voter turnout of 67.9%. The BJP, facing anti-incumbency after nearly a decade in power, hopes to secure a third term despite the challenges posed by issues like the farmers’ protests and unemployment.

The Congress ran a vigorous campaign around these key issues, bolstered by its decision to field popular candidates like Vinesh Phogat in Jat-dominated regions.

Final Outcome Awaited

As counting continues, the political landscape in both Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir is becoming clearer. The BJP is aiming for a historic third term in Haryana, while the Congress-NC alliance in Jammu and Kashmir appears to have the edge in forming the next government.

Stay tuned for more updates as the final results are declared.