NEW DELHI: The stage is set for the results of the 2024 assembly elections in Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir, which will mark the first major electoral outcome following the recent Lok Sabha elections. The counting of votes will begin at 8am on October 8. The postal ballots will be counted first, followed by electronic voting machine (EVM) votes.
As political parties await the outcome with bated breath, all eyes will be on the pollsters whose exit poll predictions would be tested with the actual results.The results are likely to reflect broader political sentiments as parties gear up for upcoming electoral battles in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Delhi.
High-stakes J&K election: Congress-NC, PDP, BJP in pitched battle
Election to the 90-seat J&K assembly is particularly historic as it is the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, which altered the region’s political landscape significantly.
Exit polls indicate a competitive race between the Congress-National Conference (NC) alliance and the BJP, with predictions suggesting that the alliance may secure around 43 seats, still 3 seats short of a majority of 46.
The BJP, on the other hand, is expected to win 27 seats, while the PDP and other parties are predicted to win 7 and 13 seats, respectively.
The BJP’s performance will be closely scrutinised as it seeks to establish itself further in the region after previously forming a coalition government with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
The first assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir since 2014 was conducted in three phases, with 24 seats voting in the first phase, 26 in the second, and 40 in the third. The fate of 873 candidates, competing for a seat in the 90-member house, has been sealed and will be revealed by Tuesday evening. The turnout was 63.45%, slightly lower than the 65.52% recorded in the 2014 assembly elections.
Three-tier security in place for J&K vote counting
As political parties evaluated their prospects, the administration was occupied with finalising arrangements, including security measures, at designated centres across all 20 district headquarters.
Election commission officials have said that a three-tier security arrangement has been established at all counting centres to ensure smooth proceedings in the restive border union territory, which has long been a point of tension and has witnessed repeated instances of terrorism, insurgency, and infiltration from across the border.
Top political leaders in J&K race
Prominent candidates in the fray include NC leader Omar Abdullah, Sajad Gani Lone of People’s Conference, Pradesh Congress Committee president Tariq Hamid Karra, and BJP state president Ravindra Raina.
Other notable contestants are AICC general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir, PDP leaders Waheed Para and Iltija Mufti, Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari, CPI(M) veteran Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, and former deputy chief ministers Muzaffar Hussain Baig and Tara Chand.
Two-way fight in Haryana
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is aiming for a third consecutive term despite facing anti-incumbency sentiments in Haryana. Meanwhile, the Congress, buoyed by exit polls suggesting a potential comeback, is eager to reclaim power after a decade in opposition.
Other regional players like the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) could play spoiler roles in this tightly contested election.
Chief electoral officer, Pankaj Agarwal, has confirmed that all necessary preparations, including security arrangements, have been made for the counting process, which is set to begin at 8am.
Polling in Haryana was held on October 5. The electorate, consisting of more than 2 crore registered voters, cast their ballots across all 90 constituencies in the state. Initially, the polls were planned to take place on October 1, but the election commission later decided to postpone the date to October 5.
The elections witnessed a voter turnout of 67.9%.
First major BJP vs Congress faceoff since LS polls
The Haryana elections saw the first major direct contest between the BJP and the Congress since the Lok Sabha polls, and the outcome will be used by the winning party to build a narrative in their favour for upcoming polls in other states.
Jammu and Kashmir also held elections alongside Haryana, but most seats there have seen multi-corner contests rather than a direct Congress-BJP fight.
According to exit polls, the Congress is set to make a triumphant return to power in Haryana after a decade-long hiatus.
The party is projected to secure approximately 55 seats — comfortably crossing the 46-seat majority mark — while the BJP is expected to win around 27 seats. The INLD is predicted to win 2 seats, the JJP 1 seat, and others around 5 seats.