Political parties prepare for election verdict in J&K and Haryana

Security personnel patrol outside the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Center (SKICC), a counting center for the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly elections, a day ahead of election results in Srinagar on October 7, 2024. | Photo credit: PTI

A day before the results of the Jammu, Kashmir and Haryana Assembly elections are to be declared after counting of votes on Tuesday (October 8, 2024), parties on opposite sides of the political spectrum exuded confidence of emerging victorious in the polls.

J&K Assembly Election Results LIVE | Haryana Assembly Election Results LIVE

Several election polls have predicted a victory for the Congress in Haryana, giving an edge to its alliance with the National Conference (NC) in Jammu and Kashmir.

There was an all too familiar dispute in the Congress camp in Haryana over the post of Prime Minister. Former Prime Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda declared that he was “neither tired nor retired”, while his rival Kumari Selja assured that the final decision would be accepted by the high command.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini rejected the poll results and claimed that the BJP will form the government for the third time with a full majority and the Congress will then blame the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

J&K, which was declared a Union Territory after abrogation of Article 370, held assembly elections after a gap of 10 years. Although the Congress-NC alliance was projected to emerge as the single largest alliance ahead of the election, the lower end of the seat forecast points to the possibility of a deadlock in the Assembly in J&K.

Eyes on PDP

NC President Farooq Abdullah hinted at opening the doors to the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to form a government. Responding to a question on the alliance with the PDP, Dr. Abdullah said he would “accept the support of the PDP from the bottom of his heart.”

“We have to go together. “There is a need to present a unified face to pull J&K out of the mess it has landed in since August 5, 2019. Even if we don’t need it, we will accept (PDP’s) support,” Dr said. Abdullah said.

However, NC Vice President Omar Abdullah said in a post on X: “They (PDP or Independents) have not given any support. They have offered no support and we don't yet know what voters have decided. So I really wish we could put a stop to all this premature speculation for the next 24 hours.”

People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti, who is also the daughter of party president Mehbooba Mufti, urged middle-ranking party leaders not to comment on the post-election alliance. “Needless speculation, let me clarify. The PDP leadership will not respond to a call to expand support for a secular front until the results are in. This is our official status,” she said.

If the parties do not have figures, the J&K election results could lead to a legal dispute. The Congress accused the BJP of trying to undermine the judgment of the people of J&K by “all means”.

“We are vigilant against all their dirty tricks and will not allow them to hijack our democracy. Misuse of institutions and the Centre's powers to change the mandate will not be tolerated,” said Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal.

While BJP leaders suggested that the J&K Lieutenant Governor (LG) could nominate five MLAs from his party, Dr. Abdullah said it was up to the elected government to nominate five MLAs.

Under Section 15 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019, the LG can nominate two women to the Assembly if “in his opinion women are not adequately represented in the Legislative Assembly”. The Act was amended in 2023 to insert subsections 15A and 15B to nominate two members from the group of Kashmiri migrants and one member from the group of displaced persons from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Mr Abdullah urged the LG to stay away from such nomination, saying: “What they want to do, I don't know.” However, if they do, we will go to the Supreme Court. What is the point of forming a government if Lord Sahib stays here? We have to fight against all of this.”

PDP chief Iltija Mufti said in a post on Instead, you could just as easily have nominated all 90 members. Why hold elections at all? The stolen elections in 1987 brought J&K to the brink of collapse. Still no lessons learned?”