SRINAGAR: No political party in Jammu and Kashmir is likely to get majority in the Assembly polls to form the next government in the State and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is expected to emerge as single largest party.
The five-phase polling for 87-member J&K Assembly in the border state concluded on Saturday with overall 66 percent voting, four percent higher than last Assembly polls. It has been the highest turnout of voters in the Assembly polls in the State in last 25 years.
Of the 87 Assembly seats, 46 are in Kashmir, 37 in Jammu and four in Ladakh.
All the four major parties – National Conference, Congress, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and BJP – contested almost all the Assembly seats but none of the parties is expected to get majority (44 seats) and form government on its own.
According to political observers, PDP will perform well in the Valley while BJP, riding on Modi wave, is expected to do well in the Jammu region.
BJP’s mission 44+, according to them, is bound to fail as the party is unlikely to get 45 seats to form government on its own.
“The saffron party is unlikely to get any seat out of 46 constituencies in the Valley. The saffron party was looking for Habba Kadal constituency in downtown Srinagar, which was having over 16,000 migrant Kashmiri Pandit voters, to open its account in the Valley. However, the migrant Pandits did not vote in large numbers, thus denying BJP any benefit from the seat,” political observers said.
They said the saffron party is expected to considerably increase its tally in Jammu region, where it got 11 seats in 2008 polls.
Political analysts said BJP cannot win all 37 seats in Jammu, where on most seats it is facing tough competition from Congress. “In some seats, NC and PDP have upper hand.”
They said the saffron party cannot win all the four seats in Ladakh region as well. “Congress and NC have also got some influence in the region and are expected to give tough fight to the saffron party there.”
Political analysts said like BJP, PDP too would not be able to get majority of seats to form the government on its own.
“PDP is basically a Valley-based party and is pinning hopes on 46-seats in the Valley. Like BJP cannot win all 37 seats in Jammu region, PDP too cannot win all 46-seats in the Valley,” they said.
The party is facing a tough competition from NC and Congress even on some seats in its stronghold in South Kashmir.
“PDP may wrest 3 to 4 seats in Srinagar from NC. All the 8 seats in Srinagar were won by NC in 2008 polls. Besides, PDP may also win a few seats in Jammu province. Overall the party will definitely improve its tally from 21 seats in 2008 polls,” poll analysts said.
They said PDP may emerge as single largest party in the State.
They further said ruling allies NC and Congress, who are battling anti-incumbency factory, are likely to be the big losers. “The tally of NC and Congress will fall considerably from 28 and 17 seats that the parties had won in 2008 polls.”
The counting of votes will be held on December 23.