Haryana backs saffron again, J&K supports NC-Congress
Supporters of Congress celebrate in Srinagar. PicS/PTI
The BJP coasted towards a hat-trick win with its biggest tally in Haryana and the National Conference-Congress combine was set to form government in Jammu and Kashmir, voters in both places giving the victors a decisive edge as counting day progressed with many a surprise on Tuesday.
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One state, one union territory and three main stakeholders. Bucking exit poll predictions and pollsters in the first elections after the June Lok Sabha verdict, the results threw up a mixed bag for the BJP, sobering lessons for the Congress but clear-cut unambiguous victory for the NC, which led the alliance to power in Jammu and Kashmir.
With wins in 48 of the 90 seats, according to the Election Commission website, Haryana’s ruling BJP readied for a third consecutive term — after early morning trends showed it trailing behind the Congress. However, trends showed the saffron party ahead only in 29 of 90 seats in Jammu and Kashmir.
If the results were a timely boost for the BJP ahead of elections in Maharashtra later this year, they were a massive downer for the Congress that was hoping to consolidate its gains from the Lok Sabha verdict and began the morning with enthusiastic leaders distributing sweets.
BJP supporters holding placards of PM Modi celebrate
Battling discord in its top leadership in Haryana, where it was expecting to come to power, the Congress had won or was leading in 35 seats in the state, seven more than it got last time but far below the 46 needed to form government. In Jammu and Kashmir, the party piggybacked on the NC to come to power but was ahead only in six of the 32 seats it contested.
Mehbooba warns Centre: Don’t meddle
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said the Centre should take a lesson from the decisive verdict of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls and “not meddle” in the affairs of the upcoming National Conference-Congress government. She congratulated the National Conference leadership on its victory and said her party would play the role of a constructive opposition.
“I congratulate the NC leadership for its spectacular win. I also want to congratulate the people of J-K for voting for a stable government and not a hung assembly because the people faced several problems especially after August 5, 2019. A stable and strong government is very important for the redressal of those problems,” Mufti told reporters here.
Vinesh celebrates maiden win
Congress candidate and wrestler Vinesh Phogat called her maiden electoral win from the Julana Assembly seat as “victory of struggle” and “victory of truth”. Phogat defeated her nearest rival and BJP nominee Yogesh Kumar by a margin of 6,015 votes, according to the Election Commission. Phogat polled 65,080 votes while BJP’s Kumar secured 59,065 votes.
Haryana CM credits Modi for victory
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday said people have “put a stamp” on the government’s policies under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also thanked the voters while speaking to reporters. “I give full credit to Modi ji. With his blessings, under his guidance, people of Haryana have put a stamp on the government’s policies,” Saini said.
Kejriwal’s lesson: Don’t be overconfident
With the BJP racing ahead in Haryana as per the early trends, AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said the “biggest lesson” of the poll results is that one should never be “overconfident” in the elections. The BJP looks forward to a comfortable win in Haryana, leading in 50 of the 90 assembly seats. “Let us see what the results are in Haryana. The biggest lesson of this is that one should never be overconfident in the elections,” said Kejriwal.
Omar Abdullah to be chief minister: Farooq
Omar Abdullah will be the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, his father and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah announced on Tuesday as the party looked on course to come to power in the union territory with ally Congress. “Omar Abdullah will be the chief minister,” the senior Abdullah told reporters when asked who would be the alliance’s CM face. The NC president also said the verdict was a proof that the people of J-K were against the abrogation of Article 370.
AAP scores first J&K win
AAP registered its first victory in Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir when its candidate Mehraj Malik defeated his nearest rival from the BJP in Doda constituency by a margin of over 4,538 votes.
EC dismisses Cong’s ‘slowdown’ claim
The Election Commission told Congress leader Jairam Ramesh that there was nothing on record to substantiate his “ill-founded allegation” of slowdown in updating of Haryana poll results.
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