GUWAHATI: In the first assembly elections in a decades and since Article 370 was revoked, Jammu and Kashmir has elected a new government, with the National Conference (NC) and Congress alliance winning the mandate to lead the Union Territory.
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The alliance secured 48 out of 90 seats, claiming a decisive victory, while the BJP won 29 seats, and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) secured 3. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) celebrated its first electoral success in J&K with Mehraj Malik winning the Doda seat.
NC leader Omar Abdullah, who won in both Budgam and Ganderbal constituencies, took a swipe at the BJP, stating, “Those who sought to destroy us were decimated instead.” He called for patience regarding the formation of the new government, noting that results were still coming in. Exit polls had raised concerns about a hung assembly, with speculation that the five Lieutenant Governor-nominated MLAs might play a key role in government formation.
While the BJP performed well in the Jammu region, it failed to gain traction in the Kashmir Valley, where its promises of development and peace under the ‘Naya Kashmir’ initiative did not resonate with voters.
Of the 90 seats, 63.88% of voters turned out, with 1.48% opting for the NOTA (None of the Above) option. The success of the NC-Congress alliance suggests voter dissatisfaction with the BJP’s decision to revoke Article 370.
NC President Farooq Abdullah confirmed that Omar Abdullah would be the next chief minister, calling the election results a repudiation of the August 5, 2019 decisions that stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status.