Congress In Haryana, Edge For INDIA Alliance In Jammu And Kashmir: Exit Polls

(Exit polls have not always given the exact picture of the actual results. Exit polls can be wrong as well. This news story is about a report on the exit poll predictions done by various agencies on the recently held Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir elections.)

Exit polls predict a strong performance for the Congress in Haryana and give an advantage to the National Conference-Congress alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, indicating that both the states could see shifts in the political formulation and governments. Haryana was under the control of BJP for the last two Assembly terms while Jammu and Kashmir, which was declared a union territory in 2018, was ruled by Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP in alliance with BJP till June 2018.

In Haryana, Congress is poised to form the next government, potentially ending the BJP’s decade-long rule. Exit polls suggest the Congress will win between 50 to 62 of the state’s 90 seats, comfortably surpassing the majority mark. The BJP, in contrast, is expected to secure between 18 and 32 seats. The JJP, once the BJP’s ally, and the INLD, may each win a handful of seats.

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda leads Congress’ comeback campaign, while the BJP, led by Manohar Lal Khattar until recently and chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, faces challenges following a weaker performance in the 2024 general elections.

In Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress-National Conference alliance is likely to fall just short of the majority, winning between 35 and 50 of the 90 assembly seats. The BJP is expected to secure 20 to 34 seats, while Mehbooba Mufti’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could take five to twelve seats. A fractured mandate in the region could lead to complex post-election negotiations, particularly with the PDP ruling out any alliance with the BJP.

With elections held in Jammu and Kashmir after a decade and Haryana witnessing a fierce contest, all eyes will be on the final results, due on October 8, which could reshape the political destiny of many in these key regions as well as the BJP-led government in Delhi. As two more state elections (Jharkhand and Maharashtra) are expected in the coming months, these are results are significant for all the political alliances in the centre.