NC emerges single-largest party in J&K

Monday, December 29, 2008 at 5:12 am

Jammu and Kashmir appears headed for another hung assembly even as trends show a clear lead for the National Conference (NC). Resurgent National Conference and the Congress are in the driver’s seat in Jammu & Kashmir.

The National Conference stands ahead in Kashmir valley while the PDP and the Congress follow close behind. The BJP did well in the Jammu region.

With results of five seats already out, the NC headed by Omar Abdullah has won three seats and was ahead in 28 of the 87 seats for which counting of votes was taken up today.

PDP, the erstwhile ally of Congress in the dissolved Assembly, was leading in 21 seats. Its patron Mufti Mohammed Sayeed won from Anantnag by 5,000 votes.

Congress, which holds the key to next government formation, was leading in 17 seats, suffering a setback mainly due to the BJP surge in the Jammu region. In the last elections, Congress held 20 seats and shared power with PDP. ‘Others’ were ahead in 11 seats.

Having played the spoiler for Congress, the BJP said it would not support Congress, NC or PDP in government formation and would prefer to sit in the opposition. Cashing on the Amarnath land row, BJP was ahead in 11 seats having done well in the Jammu region compared to its lone victory in the last elections.

Omar Abdullah said the NC would try to get the support of independent MLAs first before mulling other options

NC rules out alliance with BJP, eyes Congress to form govt

As per the latest trends National Conference has emerged as the single largest party in the state has the best chance to form the government.

The National Conference has ruled out any tie up with the BJP, but has made overtures to the Congress.

NC president Omar Abdullah has won from Ganderbal constituency defeating his rival Qazi Mohammad Afzal of PDP by 3,600 votes. But, it still looks like any body’s game with the possibility of parties striking a multiple number of alliances.

The seven-phased polls witnessed an unexpected high voter turnout of 61.5% despite a boycott call by separatists and the results are springing a few surprises.

The real snub to separatists was reflected when the eight constituencies of Srinagar, considered their strong-hold, recorded a 20 per cent turn-out –the highest in 20 years. Just five per cent polling was registered in the previous elections.

Governor’s rule was imposed in the state after PDP pulled out of the Congress-led coalition headed by Azad in July following Amarnath land transfer controversy.

The Congress preferred to keep the cards close to its chest on what its strategy would be as the trends emerged. AICC General Secretary Prithviraj Chavan said in New Delhi that Congress would not take the initiative to form a government if it did not emerge as the single largest party.

Former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad declined to go into which party the Congress would support in forming the government but felt it could ally with anyone who would help in combating terrorism.

After the 2002 polls, by a rotation formula, PDP headed the government for the first three years and the Congress for the next three years which was cut short towards the end when PDP withdrew support on the Amarnath issue.

BJP seems to have done well in Jammu region in the backdrop of Amarnath land row, and in the process damaged the electoral prospects of the Congress there.The NC appeared to have come from behind in the Kashmir Valley after trailing in the initial hours of counting. The NC and the PDP were running neck and neck in the region.

PDP candidates who are leading include Abdul Haq Khan (Lolab constituency), Javaid Mustaffa Mir (Chadoora), Mohd Kamal Malik (Badgam), Shafi Ahmed Wani (Beerwah), Zahoor Ahmed (Pampore) and Shehr Iqbal (Kokernag).

Congress candidate Nawang Rigzin was ahead in Leh, Ashok Kumar in Ramban, Jugal Kishore in Reazi, Ajaz Ahmned Khan in Gul Amas and Manohar Lal Sharma in Billawar.

Abdullah is leading by over 500 votes than his nearest rival Qazi Mohammad Afzal of PDP in Ganderbal constituency. PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and his daughter and PDP chief Mehmooba Mufti are leading from Anantnag and Wachi constituencies respectively. PDP leader Nizam-ud-din Bhat is leading by over 400 votes than his nearest rival Usman Majid, an independent candidate. NC candidate Saifullah Mir is leading in Kupwara constituency.

In the first round, Sayeed polled 3,483 votes against NC candidate Mehboob Baig who got 1,994 votes. CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami has established an early lead over his PDP rival Nazir Ahmad Laway.

In Noorabad, PDP veteran Abdul Aziz Zargar is leading over his nearest National Conference rival Sakeena Itoo. Zargar polled 3,979 votes in the first round, while Itoo got 3,253 votes.
In Homshalibugh, PDP is leading over NC. Abdul Gaffar Sofi of PDP polled 1,006 votres against NC candidate Abdul Majid Bhat’s 528.

Congress candidate Gulam Ahmad Wani is leading in Shangus constituency over PDP rival Peerzada Mansoor Hussain. Wani polled 2,204 votes, while PDP got 1,311 votes.

The lengthy seven-phase election saw an unexpected high voter turnout of about 62 per cent, despite a boycott call by separatists. The turn-out in the 2002 elections was 43 per cent.

Jammu and Kashmir
Info Available: – 87/87

Party	Won
Congress	17
PDP	21
NC	28
BJP	11
Others	10

Detailed results

The real snub to separatists was reflected when the eight constituencies of Srinagar, considered their strong-hold, recorded a 20 per cent turn-out — the highest in 20 years. Just five per cent polling was registered in previous elections.

Governor’s rule was imposed in the state after PDP pulled out of the Congress-led coalition headed by Azad in July following Amarnath land transfer controversy.

In the last elections, NC had emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats, followed by Congress (20), PDP (16), J and K National Panthers Party (04), CPI (M) (2), BJP (1), BSP(1) and Independents (15).

A record 468 independents and 67 women candidates participated in the elections.

The number of independents in fray was far higher than the total number of contestants in fray for the 1972 and 1977 assembly elections. While in 1972 polls, 342 candidates were in fray, in the 1977 electoral exercise, as many as 408 candidates contested, the officials said.

J&K elections a vote for democracy: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (Dec 28) hailed the elections in Jammu and Kashmir saying it was a vote for democracy and national integration.

“The large turnout is a vote for democracy. It is a vote for national integration. Therefore, we are all happy,” Singh told reporters on the sidelines of Congress Foundation Day celebrations at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi.

(With inputs from Agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

NC emerges single-largest party in J&K

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