BJP returns for a historic third term in Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir picks NC-Congress

In Jammu and Kashmir, which concluded a historic election to pick its government after a decade and post abrogation of Article 370, the National Conference-Congress alliance has swept, bagging 49 of the 90 seats.

As per the latest tally by India Today and Times Now, the BJP won 48 out of 90 seats while Congress bagged 37 seats leaving behind 2 for Om Prakash Chautala’s Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and 3 for Others.  The Aam Aadmi Party, which is ambitious about its expansion beyond Delhi and Punjab, drew a blank.

To form the government in the 90-member Haryana assembly, the magic figure is 46.

Though the initial trends in the morning saw Congress marching towards victory with around 60 seats, the tables turned at around 10 am when BJP clawed back and went past the grand old party in its bid to retain the Hindi heartland state, which saw massive farmers' protests against the Modi government in the last few years.

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Sayani is leading from both the seats of Ladwa and Kurukshetra.

The return of the BJP in Haryana is historic since no party has won a third consecutive term in the state since its inception in 1966. , once a powerhouse in Haryana, is ahead in two seats, while the Dushyant Chautala-led Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), which aligned with the BJP in 2019, failed to open its account.

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who fought the Haryana assembly elections on Congress' candidate, is set for a win on her poll debut.

Phogat, who contested from Julana, is leading by over 5,000 votes after 14 rounds of vote counting. He is set to defeat BJP's Yogesh Kumar.

Phogat was one of the wrestlers who were on the forefront of a protest against BJP leader, former Wrestling Federation of India president and ex-Union Minister Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment charges.

Jammu and Kashmir

The National Conference-Congress is set for a sweeping victory in the first assembly elections held in Jammu and Kashmir after 10 years.

According to India Today tally, the NC-Congress alliance won 49 out of 90 seats. The BJP bagged 29 seats while Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won 3 seats. Others won 8 seats.

The Jammu Kashmir Assembly polls were historic, being held for the first time since the region underwent major changes over the past five years, including the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.

This led to the conversion of the state to a Union Territory (UT) and its division, with Ladakh becoming a separate UT without a legislature.

Meanwhile, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has announced his son and party leader Omar Abdullah will become the next Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister.

"We have to develop trust between Hindus and Muslims. I am hopeful that INDIA alliance partners will fight with us to restore statehood here...I understand Omar Abdullah will become the CM," he said.