SRINAGAR: In the first assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370, the National Conference-Congress coalition has an advantage over the BJP in the 90-member House, according to a majority of the exit polls released on Saturday. The BJP, however, remained hopeful of forming government in the UT.
According to poll observers, if the exit polls prove right, there is high possibility of NC-Congress forming the next government in J&K, and even if they fall short of some seats, they can seek PDP support.
People’s Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti has already said that her party would support a secular government in J&K, though PDP leaders said on Saturday that the exit polls were not reliable and it was too early to talk about government formation.
Analysts said if the BJP wins 33-35 seats, it would eye the support of party-backed independents and smaller parties in Kashmir to reach the halfway mark of 46 seats.
NC vice-president Omar Abdullah described the exit polls as “just time pass” though the results are in favour of his party. “I am ignoring all the noise on channels, social media, WhatsApp, etc, because the only numbers that matter will be revealed on October 8,” Abdullah wrote on X.
Reacting to the exit poll predictions, J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina said his party contested with all its strength. “We are confident that BJP will emerge as the single largest party when the results are out. We will start working on government formation,” he said.
J&K Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra said the Congress-NC alliance is in a comfortable position to form the next government. “This election was primarily to keep the BJP out of power corridors, restoration of statehood and land and job guarantees,” he said.