Jammu and Kashmir Election Results 2024: Congress-National Conference (NC) alliance has taken a commanding early lead in the 2024 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election, the first since Article 370 was revoked in August 2019, and the first since the 2014 elections. Initial results show the alliance surging ahead in what was expected to be a closely contested race.Early election results show strong alliance leadAs counting began at 8 am with postal ballots being opened first, early leads at 9:20 am placed the Congress-NC alliance ahead in 49 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was trailing behind with 27 seats. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, which had previously allied with the BJP, is currently leading in eight constituencies. Independent candidates are leading in four seats.Within the alliance, Congress is leading in 12 of the 39 seats it is contesting, while the National Conference is ahead in 35 of the 56 seats it has fielded candidates for. The results signify a major gain for the NC, which only won 15 seats in the 2014 elections. On the contrary, the PDP, which secured 28 seats in the previous election, is facing significant losses.Controversy surrounding nominated MLAsOne of the major points of contention in this election has been the five nominated MLAs, a move made by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. These five seats, nominated by the Governor, include two women, two Kashmiri Pandits, and one displaced individual from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Critics, including the NC and Congress, have slammed this decision as an assault on democracy. Senior Congress leader Ravinder Sharma called it a subversion of the peoples mandate.These five nominated members will hold full legislative powers and privileges, akin to elected representatives, which has sparked concern over their influence in an already tightly contested race.Exit polls predict hung assemblyAccording to exit polls, the Congress-NC alliance holds a slight edge, predicted to win around 43 seats, with the BJP trailing at 26. The PDP is expected to secure between four and 12 seats. If these polls hold true, it could result in a hung Assembly as the 90-member elected body requires a majority of 46 seats to form the government. The PDP could emerge as a potential kingmaker in this scenario, holding the balance of power for the Congress-NC but not the BJP.PDPs stance on allianceAs of now, the PDP has ruled out the possibility of re-aligning with the BJP, which it had partnered with in the 2019 elections. Senior PDP leaders have expressed their commitment to only considering a secular alliance, fueling speculation of a possible partnership with the Congress-NC combine.When asked about the PDP as a potential ally, NC patriarch Farooq Abdullah responded, Why not indicating an openness to the idea. However, PDP senior leader Iltija Mufti quickly dismissed the speculation, calling it “unnecessary.”Omar Abdullah, son of Farooq Abdullah and also a former Chief Minister, adopted a more cautious tone, stating on social media platform X, They havent extended support... havent offered support... and we dont know what the voters have decided yet. His remarks indicate that, for now, no official alliance discussions have been initiated.People in the valley voted in three-phasesThe election was conducted over three phases, with voting taking place on September 18, September 25, and October 1. As counting continues, the final results are expected to determine the political future of Jammu and Kashmir in its first post-Article 370 election.
