An Indian Border Security Force personnel stands guard as people wait a line to cast their vote outside a polling station during the third and final phase of the assembly election, in north Kashmir's Bandipora district October 1.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Srinagar: As first assembly polls in a decade in Jammu and Kashmir concluded peacefully on Tuesday, all eyes now turn to the counting scheduled for October 8.
The election held for the first time after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, witnessed a high voter turnout and significant campaigning from major political parties, and has sparked a flurry of claims and counterclaims regarding potential victories.
Major political parties have already begun to declare their expectations. Ram Madhav, the BJP’s in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir elections said they were confident to inch closer to the majority mark.
“Whatever is short, for that we will see who will have the seats to come with us and form the government,” he said in an interview with a national TV channel.
In the 90 seats J&K Assembly, to secure a simple majority, a party or a coalition required 46 MLAs. Independent candidates and smaller parties may play a decisive role in government formation as the mandate is expected to be highly fractured.
Aware that the National Conference-Congress alliance may fall short of 46 mark, Congress party’s Jammu and Kashmir unit chief Tariq Karra said the alliance is open to taking support of like-minded parties and individuals for government formation “if such a need arises.”
“What we can see is that the people have voted in favour of the alliance or to keep the BJP out of power corridors, which is a good thing,” he said and added if the need arises, “our doors are open for all like-minded people, forces, parties and even individuals.”
NC vice-president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah while expressing confidence of the alliance victory in the polls, said, “God willing, we will form the government after October 8.”
People's Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has already made it clear that the next government in J&K cannot be formed without the support of her party.
Polling for all the 90 assembly seats concluded peacefully on October 1, with the Election Commission reporting an overall turnout of approximately 64 per cent. As the countdown to October 8 begins, the atmosphere in J&K is charged with anticipation.
Whichever party emerges victorious will need to navigate the complex political landscape of the region, where public sentiment and local issues play a pivotal role in governance. The counting process will commence at 9 am on Tuesday, and results are expected to unfold throughout the day.
Assembly Elections 2024 | In the first assembly polls since the Lok Sabha elections, Narendra Modi and the BJP face a rejuvenated and vindicated Opposition in the Haryana assembly polls. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir is voting after almost a decade and it remains to be seen how the abrogation of Article 370 has impacted the political landscape of the Valley. Track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.