Most exit polls have predicted yet another hung assembly in Jammu and Kashmir, with no party expected to reach the halfway mark of 46 seats in the 9o-member House.
However, four pollsters — India Today-C Voter, Axis My India, Dainik Bhaskar, and Peoples Pulse — projected the Congress-NC alliance to have a slight edge in the Union Territory.
The India Today-C Voter poll has given Congress-NC 40-48 seats, BJP 27-32, PDP 6-12, and ‘Others’ 6-11 seats. Meanwhile, Dainik Bhaskar has predicted 35-40 seats for Congress-NC, 20-25 for BJP, 4-7 for PDP, and 22-26 for ‘Others’.
Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP appeared to be losing ground, according to most pollsters. For the BJP, predictions range from 24-37 seats, which is decent considering its traditionally weak presence in the Valley.
This election is the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. In the 2014 J&K elections, the PDP won 28 seats, BJP 25, NC 15, and Congress 12. The hung verdict back then led to a PDP-BJP coalition government, which ended when the BJP withdrew support in June 2018.
The voter turnout in J&K was recorded at an overall 63.88 percent. Phase three, held on October 1, saw the highest voter turnout with 69.69 percent, while Phase-1 and Phase-2 registered polling percentages of 61.38 percent and 57.31 percent, respectively.