Chandigarh/Srinagar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has successfully secured a third consecutive term in Haryana, leading in 50 out of 90 assembly seats, while the Congress trails with 34 seats. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) holds 2 seats, and other parties have 4. The Aam Aadmi Party, aiming to expand beyond Delhi and Punjab, failed to win any seats.
Initial trends had suggested a strong showing for Congress, with projections of around 60 seats, but by 10 AM, the BJP regained momentum, overcoming Congress to maintain control of the state, which has seen significant farmer protests against the Modi government in recent years.
Chief Minister Nayab Singh Sayani is leading in both Ladwa and Kurukshetra, while wrestler Vinesh Phogat, running as a Congress candidate in Julana, is on track for victory in her electoral debut, leading by over 5,000 votes.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the National Conference-Congress alliance is poised for a sweeping victory in the first assembly elections in a decade. Current trends indicate the alliance is leading in 52 seats, while the BJP is ahead in 27, the Peoples Democratic Party has 2, and others hold 9 seats.
These elections are historic, occurring after significant changes in the region, including the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, which transformed Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory. National Conference president Farooq Abdullah announced that his son, Omar Abdullah, will become the next Chief Minister. He emphasized the need for a “people’s rule” and pledged to restore trust between communities while advocating for media freedom and the release of unjustly imprisoned individuals.
