NVI Special Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 08 (NVI): As the results of J&K Assembly polls held after a decade are officially out, National Conference has emerged as the single largest party by winning 42 seats majority of them in Kashmir valley while Jammu decided to side with saffron party where BJP bagged 29 seats
PDP managed only three seats, a visible downfall of the party that had pocketed 28 seats in 2014 Assembly polls. Er Rashid’s Awami Itehad Party (AIP) failed to make any impact despite massive crowds attracted by the North Kashmir MP as the party settled at one seat only at Langate. CPI(M) managed to retain Kulgam fort even though Jamaat-e-Islami backed candidate didn’t make any impact. However, Lotus failed to bloom in Kashmir as BJP didn’t manage to win even a single seat from Kashmir.
Official figures available with the NVI suggest that NC won 42 seats on its own and its alliance partner managed six seats—five from Kashmir and only one from Jammu. NC has won seven seats in Jammu division and 35 segments from Kashmir division. NC also won seven out of eight seats in Srinagar district while the one was bagged by Congress chief Tariq Karra. NC also won the prestigious seat of Chanapora in Srinagar where its candidate Mushtaq Guroo defeated strong heavy weight Altaf Bukhari by a margin of over 7000 votes. The NC-Congress won eight seats of Srinagar district. So the NC-Congress combine have won 48 seats, the number needed to form the government.
The results have surprised National Conference as its vice president Omar Abdullah stated that 42 number is beyond his expectations. “If you would have asked me about this number before polls, I would have told you it wasn’t possible. But thanks to Almighty and people of Kashmir for reposing trust in NC,” Omar told NVI.
Omar secured 36010 and defeated his close rival—Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by a margin of 18,485 votes in Budgam while in Ganderbal, he secured the seat by getting 32,727 votes and defeated his rival from PDP—Bashir Ahmad Mir by a margin of 10,574.
In Jammu division, NC won Ramban with a margin of 9013 votes, Banihal with a margin of 6110 votes, Gulabgarh(ST) by 6527, Nowshera by 7,819, Budhal(ST)by 18,908, Poonch Haveli by 20,879 and Mendhar(ST) by 14,906 votes. This is considered as a major gain by NC where BJP almost swept all seats.
Indian National Congress won six seats out of 31 segments which include Wagoora – Kreeri by Irfan Hafiz Lone by a margin of 7,751 votes, Bandipora by Nizam Uddin Bhat with a margin of 811 votes, Central Shalteng by Tariq Hameed Karra with a margin of 14,395, Dooru by Gulam Ahmad Mir with a margin of 29,728 votes, Anantnag by Peerzada Mohammad Syed with a margin of 1,686 votes, Rajouri (ST) by Iftkar Ahmed with a margin of 1,404 votes.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has however won the second highest seats in Jammu and Kashmir. The party has managed to increase its seats from 25 in 2014 to 29 in 2024. The seats where from BJP candidates have emerged victorious include Kishtwar, Padder – Nagseni, Bhadarwah, Doda West, Reasi, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, Udhampur West, Udhampur East, Chenani, Ramnagar(SC), Billawar, Basohli, Jasrota, Kathua, Hiranagar, Ramgarh (SC), Samba, Vijaypur, Bishnah(SC), Suchetgarh(SC), R. S. Pura- Jammu South, Bahu, Jammu East, Nagrota, Jammu West, Jammu North, Marh (SC), Akhnoor (SC) and Kalakote – Sunderbani.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has managed to secure three seats including Kupwara, Tral and Pulwama while Peoples Conference (PC) winning Handwara seat. Furthermore, seven independent candidates have emerged victorious from seven seats including Langate where from Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) Chief Er Rashid’s brother—Khursheed Ahmad Shiekh won with a margin of 1602 votes.
Omar said there will be first NC legislature party meet after which there will be a meeting with the alliance partner Congress for a discussion on who will be Chief Ministerial candidate. The statement comes despite NC chief Dr Farooq Abdullah clearly stating that Omar will be CM candidate of the alliance. What remains to be seen is when would the LG Manoj Sinha invite NC for government formation in J&K (News Vibes of India)
